Nighttime was the busiest for E.P Labs. Scientists struggling to get their work done hoping to catch some shut eye before the sun rose for the next day. Doctors in the hospital wing distributing patient medications and updating their files by hand; they too were hoping to get some sleep, or at least go home to their loved ones. Everything was in good order, except the screens of every electronic device were still blacked out so, doing any type of computer work was useless. Markel sat in his office and stared at the computer, trying to figure out what happened and what the hell that green dot was in the middle of every screen. Rubbing his eyes, for he had been staring at the screen for hours, a knock at his door interrupted him and broke him out of his haze.
"Yes?" Markel shook his head of the daze and ran his fingers though his hair.
"Can I come in. It's Ally."
"Yeah."
Ally opened the door slowly as she walked in and closed it behind her. "You ok?" she asked and walked over to a chair.
"No. I'm not. I want to know what the hell is going on." Markel leaned back in his chair with his fingers over his eyes.
Ally sat down in the chair that was in front of Markel's desk. "It all seems weird. Should we get Hedix and Frost on this. They are detectives." Ally grinned.
"Yeah, detectives that are with the humans."
"That doesn't mean anything, and you know it. You even offered for them to be security here." Ally reminded him.
"Speaking of that." Markel went and pressed the intercom button on the phone. "Hedix and Frost, get to my office now." His voice echoed through the whole building. Somewhere in the Lab Hedix and Frost heard his voice and traveled all the way into the Science wing of E.P Labs. Markel and Ally waited in silence and minutes had gone by before there was a knock at the door.
"You beckoned for us?" Frost called through the closed door.
"Well, it would help if you opened the door." Markel spoke up, some irritation behind his voice.
The doorknob twisted allowing Hedix and Frost to enter the office. Markel's office was spacious; the walls were a pale white with awards, certificates and trophies hung everywhere. His natural honey colored wood desk sat towards the back of the room with bookshelves right behind it. "What's going on?" Hedix asked and crossed his arms. Frost leaned up against the wall near the door.
"It's about the question I asked you guys. Do you remember?" Markel asked.
"Nope." Frost commented.
"The security positions?" Markel glared at Frost.
"Oh." Hedix looked at Frost unsure what his response would be. Frost shrugged and looked around the office; secretly impressed by everything on the walls.
"What exactly will we be doing?" Hedix questioned.
"You'll be head of security. You'll be looking over the security functions of this building. The gates, who gets in and who doesn't, who needs to see me, basic shit like that. Frost you should be good at this job." Markel intertwined his fingers and placed his chin on top of them.
Frost looked at Markel. "So basically, we're running shit here, instead of getting told what to do?"
"Well, you'll still get told what to do, from me but, Yeah."
"Shit, I'm in. When do we start?" Frost stepped off the wall.
"After training. To work in this building, you need the training this building requires. Frost, you should be good, but Hedix will need to work hard. The training is physically and mentally challenging. Can you handle it?" Markel asked seriously.
Hedix looked at Markel with determination. "Sign me up."
Markel smirk. "Alright, let me get one of my guys in here and he'll walk you through things." Markel said and called his guy on the phone. The room stayed silent after Markel hung up. A few seconds after the phone call ended, there was a knock at the door. "Come in." Markel called out.
The door opened slightly, and a man with short white hair and black and white wings entered. "You called Sir?" He asked.
"Yes. Cross, I want you to meet the two new heads of security. Detective Rosado and Detective Cole."
Cross reached out his hand and grabbed ahold of Frost's "Nice to meet you." Cross smiled.
"Yeah same here." Frost said back. Cross went over and shook Hedix's hand as well and then looked back at Markel.
"Cross, I want you to show them around. They already know of the Lab and the hospital wing, so I guess you can show them the security wing and then they'll need training so, introduce them to Cora."
Cross nodded. "Alright. Follow me detectives." Cross headed out of the room with Hedix and Frost close behind him. Hedix looked at Cross's wings and remembered something.
"Cross. Do you guard the gates that lead into E.P. Labs?" Hedix asked.
"Sometimes, why do you ask?"
"I just remember seeing your wings when Frost and I first arrived here." Hedix said and looked at the floor as they walked towards the security wing.
"Cross. Why are your wings two different colors?" Frost asked bluntly.
Cross stopped at a door and unlocked it with his badge. "I'm a fallen angel."
"Fallen Angel?! Wow, aren't your wings supposed to be all black?"
"Not entirely true. I was thrown out by law enforcement up there, not by god himself. So, my wings turned half black instead of fully black." Cross explained and continued down the hallway.
"What did you do to get thrown out? Hedix asked.
"Had sex before marriage." Cross smirked flirtatiously.
"Yeah, that's my boy!" Frost slapped Cross on the back congratulating him in a joking way.
"I thought that was total sin?" Hedix asked, ruining the bro moment.
"God himself understands his children have needs and wants, but it was still a sin. The angels that commit that type of sin are still an angel, but an angel with a rap sheet." Cross informed. The boys had made their way to the security wing and had entered a vault that was restricted to employees only. Hedix and Frost were both amazed as the vault doors opened from Cross's identification card. Walls were covered from top to bottom with weapons of every kind, even weapons meant for supernatural creatures.
"This is our weapons vault. We have everything from throwing knifes to grenade launchers. If you are a supernatural being, your weapon will be custom made for you based upon your abilities and your skill set. If you're human, we will still custom make a weapon for you, but it won't contain any magical power, unless Sir Markel authorizes it. Sir Markel also wishes for you two to get well acquainted with this room, cause once a security breach happens you two will in charge of every weapon that leaves this vault, plus only authorized personnel can open this door."
"Which one is yours Cross?" Hedix asked looking around at all the swords that hung on a nearby wall.
Cross smiled and walked over to another door that was inside the vault. The door required eye scanning to access it. "This door leads to the Elite weapons for the people who are superior to this wing." Cross said as he pulled a katana off the wall. The Katana was sheathed in white, but when Cross pulled, he revealed a blade that was as white as freshly fallen snow.
"Wow, that's cool. That was made for you?" Hedix asked.
"No, I came to E.P. Labs with this weapon." Cross smiled and put the blade back in its sheath, placing it back on the wall and closed the door to the Elite weapons. "Alright, let me get you guys out of here. I'll be making your badges and doing your security clearances so you can enter this vault later. Now let me show you around to the security wing." Cross said and led the way out of the vault. Walking in silence with the only thing that was heard were their footsteps echoing in the hallway.
"So, Cross, how did you come under Markel's control?" Frost asked, breaking the silence.
Cross snickered "Markel found me and bought me here. I owe him a lot."
"Really? How did he find you?" Hedix asked.
Cross went silent for a moment and then stopped in the middle of the hallway. He turned around to face the boys. "He found me when I was in an ally way sleeping in an old sleeping bag."
Hedix went wide eyed. "How'd that happen?" he reluctantly asked.
Cross went silent again and found a bench to sit on. "Take a seat. This is a long story."
Hedix and Frost took a seat in front of Cross and sat there silently, waiting for Cross to speak up. Cross looked at them and let out a sigh. "I was 18 when Markel found me. I'm 21 now, and I've been living here ever since. Before Markel found me, I had been searching for my mother with no luck. I had given up when I thought she had left me for good. Plus, everyone that I seemed to ask if they knew her or saw her, looked straight through me. It was like they didn't even see me, and I was right, they couldn't see me. So, I became homeless and just when I thought that my life was going to come to an end right there in that ally way, Markel appeared and took me to E.P. Labs."
"What do you mean no one saw you?" Frost questioned.
Cross again went silent for a moment and then spoke up. "Listen, this is hard to explain." He began. "I'll start with what I remember. I was maybe ten years old and I remember suddenly waking up with pure white wings on my back. I had no recollection of any memories, but none of that mattered when I saw my mom walk through my bedroom door with the same wings. As a ten-year-old kid, that was amazing. Everyone around me had the same exact wings. I really didn't understand what was going on, until someone told me that I was in heaven. I questioned it like, heavens not real but whatever. I was the happiest kid, I had my mom, I had wings, life was great. I grew up with the knowledge that everyone had wings just like the ones I use to have. So, I lived normally, growing up to be a normal healthy sixteen-year-old male. As you both know, teenage boys tend to have those wants and needs but I was taught never to act on them as it could result in punishment. Of course, I didn't listen to those warnings and I found a girl that I fell in love with. Her name was Lilly, and she was the most gorgeous girl I had laid eyes on. One thing led to another and we had sex. Next thing I know, me and her were being talked to by the police. After that, I woke up in the ally way. My wings were black and white and when I looked around, no one had the same wings. I walked around aimlessly, and everyone was walking right through me, literally. No could see me, no one could hear me, and I was at a loss. I couldn't find my mother or Lilly, so I gave up hope. Then Markel found me and brought me to E. P. Labs. I still didn't understand what was going on until Markel sat me down and showed me a video." Cross stopped talking, water was welling in his eyes and tears began to run down his cheek.
"You ok man?" Hedix asked concerned.
"Yeah, it's just painful to talk about, but I'll continue." Cross wiped his tears and began again. "The video Markel played was a recording from a street camera covering a busy intersection. On the camera, you could see everyone walking around. The traffic lights change and the cars passing by. In the top left-hand corner of the camera, you could see clear as day, a little boy about ten years old walking hand in hand with what looked to be his mother. In the bottom right-hand corner of the camera, you see a black SUV driving really slow towards them. Within a blink of an eye, you see the ten-year-old boy drop to the floor and the SUV speed off. The women frantically held the boy in her arms, as blood pooled on the ground."
"Wait, what does this have to do with you?" Frost raised his eyebrow.
"That's what I asked Markel, but then he explained everything. It made sense, since I was the boy in that video."
Hedix and Frost went silent in shock. They didn't know how to respond to Cross's story. Cross smirked and looked down. "I was killed when I was ten-years-old. That's when I woke up in Heaven."
"What about your mom?" Frost spoke up quietly.
"Well after I was killed, my mother committed suicide by hanging herself in our tiny little apartment." Cross said.
"How do you know that?" Hedix questioned.
"Markel had the file of my mother's death. I compared it to the video, and it seems that after I was killed, a few hours later she went home and hung herself."
"Why did she do that?" Frost asked.
"Well, I found out that my mom was behind on bills and she owed money to some dangerous people. When she didn't pay those debts, those people sent out hitmen. I guess taking my life was their payment reimbursed in full. I suppose to avoid them coming after her and to be with me again, she decided to do what she thought was right. That's why I thought everything was normal, cause when I woke up, my mother was right there beside me. The only difference was we all had wings."
The hallway was silent. Hedix and Frost where at lost for words and Cross was sitting there staring at the boys. Then Frost looked at Cross "So, you're dead, but how can we see you?"
"Supernatural beings such as yourself can see me just fine, the humans on the other hand can't see me unless I allow them to."
"Are there more of your kind here? In the building?" Hedix asked.
"Yes. Some with wings like mine, some with blue and white wings and some with all black wings." Cross said.
"And the difference?"
"Black and white wings are angels who were once human and were kicked out of heaven. Blue and white are the ones that were born angels and were kicked out. Black wings mean they were born angels and committed the ultimate sin against the heavens and God kicked them out personally." Cross explained.
"Wow that's rough. Sorry to make you bring painful memories back." Hedix apologized.
"It's ok. It was bound to come up sooner or later. Alright, let me take you guys to the training hall and then we can go to my office and get your rooms set up." Cross stood up from the bench and made his way down the hall. Hedix and Frost followed him around the corner and down another hall. They made it to another door that had to be unlocked with Cross's badge. The door opened with a gust of air and lead into another hallway but at the end of the hallway was an elevator.
"Damn, there's a lot of hallways in this place." Hedix said.
"Yeah, the training facility plus the security wing is under ground. We like to keep our methods hidden." Cross smiled and pressed the down arrow on the wall.
"So, the training rooms we saw back then. Those aren't connected to these?" Frost asked.
"No, those training halls are for the sick and injured. These training halls are for fighting and security measures. So, we undergo something like Marine Corps training down here." Cross said as the elevator door opened and the three stepped inside. The elevator began to descend, once the number on the side of the elevator wall hit zero, the elevator stopped, and the doors slide open. Immediately, Hedix and Frost were exposed to screaming and yelling, the sounds of gun fire at the gun ranch and grunts and moans from people doing hand to hand combat training.
"Wow, it sure is lively down here." Frost looked around. "Reminds me of the training I went through a long time ago."
"Yeah. I can tell police training is nothing like this." Hedix swallowed his nerves.
"Alright." Cross began. "Over to your left we have the hand-to-hand combat center. This is where you will learn multiple kinds of martial arts and different ways to take someone down with your hands and feet. Next to that in the far-left corner we have the indoor gun range where you can shoot pistols and rifles. We have and outdoor gun range as well for machine guns and explosive weapons. Over to your right we have a workout room, an indoor track, weight room and boxing ring. Inside is where most of the humans train and our outside training center is where most of the supernatural train."
"You guys don't have humans and the supernatural fight together?" Hedix questioned.
"We do, it's just that we don't want the humans to be near the supernatural when they need to practice their powers. But for the other fighting and stuff, of course. Plus, everyone here has a partner. So, you two will continue to work together and you'll have a better understanding of what each of you are capable of." Cross informed.
"Where and when do we start?" Frost asked excitedly.
"Well, since you both have some sort of experience, we won't have you go through the boot camp the newbies go through. So, we'll just start you guys off by showing us what you guys can do in each area. Frost have you been able to completely transform?"
Frost looked at Hedix. "Not at the precinct. Can you imagen what people would say or do if they saw me completely transform?"
"Good point. Alright well, before we begin, I need to get you guys cleared to be here. Come to my office and we can start there. Don't worry, there's no paperwork. Just cameras, fingerprints and eye scanners, plus height and weight, and full body scan."
"Full body scan?" Hedix questioned as they walked to Cross's office.
"Yeah to get a better understanding of your body, for medical purposes. Just in case you get hurt, or die, but for right now, it's just the other stuff." Cross smiled and sat down behind his desk and started to type away at his computer; the only working one that wasn't affected by the power outage and the black screens. "Alright, Frost. Please step in front of that camera. This is for your badge."
Frost walked and stood in front of the camera. "Ok, you can be serious or smile." Cross said. "On three I will snap the photo. One, two, three." Cross clicked the button and the camera flashed. Cross looked down to see how the photo came out and immediately rolled his eyes. Frost had taken the photo with two thumbs up and his mouth wide open.
"Are you serious?" Cross asked.
"No, I'm smiling." Frost made the smart remark.
Cross shook his head and proceeded to make his badge. "Alright Hedix, your turn."
Hedix stepped in front of the camera and the photo was taken on three. Hedix's picture came out profoundly serious. No smile, no smirk, no thumbs up. "Thank you for taking a serious one." Cross said and clicked print. The badges came out of an I.D machine and were nice and hot as Cross punched holes through the tops of them and laced a lanyard through the hole.
"Alright, here boys. Now time for the eye scan. Come over here to this machine and place your dominant eye up to the scanner." Cross instructed.
Hedix and Frost were both right eye dominant, so their right eyes were placed up to the scanner. "Step back." Cross said. With a few beeps and rings the machine then voiced. "Special Agent, Frost Rosado, accepted. Special Agent, Hedix Cole, accepted."
"Special Agent?!" Frost shouted excitedly.
"Yup. Since you guy are head of security, that automatically makes you a special agent and the people around here will refer to you as such." Cross informed.
"What are you Cross? You seem to be the head of security to." Hedix asked placing the badge around his neck.
"Nope. I just do the admin work and get people access and I sometimes guard the gate remember? Alright Special Agents, please follow me and we will get you two a dorm room here."
"Dorm room? We have to stay here?" Hedix asked.
"Not necessarily, you can stay in your own apartments, if you so choose, but we do like to keep our personnel close and readily available. I can give you some time to think about it." Cross looked at Hedix.
"Um, yeah. I'll think about." Hedix replied.
"What's there to think about dude. We could get out of that raggedy apartment building we live in now and we wouldn't even have to drive to work." Frost laughed.
Hedix shrugged his shoulders. "Fine. Cross, I'll take the dorm room."
"Hey, what about our jobs at the station?" Frost mentioned before Cross could answer Hedix.
"Sir Markel has already got that figured out with your Chief. He's going to have your files transferred over to here. Your Chief actually seemed happy that you two were getting out of that place and into a place where you belong." Cross smiled. "So, I can go ahead and arrange your rooms correct?" Cross changed the subject.
"Yeah that's fine." Frost agreed.
"Yeah." Hedix chimed in.
"Cool. Ok, so I'm going to introduce you to the weapons supervisor and maker. She's going to evaluate your weapons handling and hand to hand combat. Then she'll probably take you to the outside training where Frost can test his transforming ability. Follow me." Cross and the boys made their way to the hand-to-hand center. In the room there were five groups of two people doing basic hand-to-hand maneuvers, but one group was standing in the middle of the padded floor in a combat fighting position: their fists up near their face and their knees at a bend with their feet apart. Everyone in the room stopped their training and cleared the floor, placing themselves against the nearest wall.
"What's going on?" Hedix asked, looking in Cross's direction.
"Oh, they're doing a fighting match. Three rounds and who ever tapes out first, gets knocked out or is more beaten up by the end of the third round, loses." Cross smiled. "This should be good."
A man in the corner of the room suddenly shouted "Begin." And within minutes the male was dodging the blows that were coming at him from the female partner. Everything was happening so fast. Fists were being thrown and being blocked, kicks were making contact and bodies were being thrown to the ground. Round one was cleared in three long minutes.
"Round two. Begin!" the male shouted again.
They began again and suddenly the female had grabbed ahold of the males first punch and was able to land a blow to his chest that sent him flying across the mat, making his body hit the wall. Everyone against that wall moved quickly out of the way as his body made impact. The female wasn't giving up and neither was the male. The male had recovered to his feet and was able to make a quick getaway as the female had thrown her fist straight to wear his face would've been against the wall. The male made his way behind the female, was able to grab ahold of the female's waist and using his momentum, forced his way backwards, slamming her neck and head into the padded floor. Everyone in the room loudly voiced their excitement. The female, obviously hurting, recovered to her feet and once again went after the male. The male threw a punch which the female managed to dodge and slide behind the male, making her way to her feet. She then climbed the males' body, wrapped her legs around his head and began to lay blows to his skull. Three punches in, she spun down his arm and was able to get him down to the ground and into an arm bar. The male was barely conscience enough to tap out with his left hand.
"Match end. Cora is the winner." The male in the corner announced. "Medic!" he then called. As a Healer dressed in all white with the traditional red cross on their clothes came out of a medical room, Hedix and Frost were wide eyed and in silent amazement outside of the room.
"You guys like that?" Cross asked.
"Liked it? I loved it! Are we going to do that type of fighting?" Frost excitedly asked.
"Yes, and I'm gladded you liked that, cause the female right there is your trainer for the time. Let's go meet her." Cross smiled and opened the door to the fighting room. Cora and her male Partner Len were both getting healed and treated in the middle of the floor.
"Dude, she's hot." Frost whispered to Hedix.
"Careful, she might kill you." Hedix warned.
"Then I will die happy." Frost joked.
"Cora. Are you feeling ok?" Cross voiced as the three came closer to the two.
"Cross. Of course, neck kind of hurts though." Cora smiled, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Well yeah, after Len suplexed you, I would imagen. Are you ok enough to meet two gentlemen?" Cross asked taking her injuries into consideration.
"Yeah of course." Cora stood to her feet and fixed her dark brown hair into a ponytail.
Cross moved out of the way, allowing Frost and Hedix to face her. "Cora, this is Frost and Hedix. They're the new special agents assigned here. They need weapons and training."
"Awesome. Nice to meet you Special Agents. I'm Cora, the weapons and fighting specialist." Cora smiled as her big and bright copper-colored eyes smiled as well.
Frost smiled. "I'm Special Agent Frost Rosado."
"Special Agent Hedix Cole."
"Alright, well we can start whenever. Just let me make sure my partner is ok." Cora smiled again and ran to Lens side. The healer was almost done, her hands glowed blue as she circled them around Len's skull. Len was coming to and was able to sit up.
"Damn Cora, you went all out with that one." Len spoke softly as he came to.
"Len you know full well that's not me going all out. That was like 20 percent of what I can do." Cora laughed. "Can you stand?"
Len nodded and Cora had helped him to his feet. Everyone in the room began to clap for Len, all of them happy to see him awake. "Len there's two new Special Agents here." Cora said.
"Really?"
"Yup. This is Special Agent Frost and Special Agent Hedix."
"Nice to meet you. Sorry you had to see me get my shit rocked." Len laughed.
"Nah man, it was actually pretty cool. We can't wait to fight like you two." Hedix smiled.
"Yeah, well it hurts. If you have a partner like Cora. She's human and still kicks my ass." Len looked at Cora who was grinning, knowing full well that she did kick his ass.
"If she's human then what are you?" Hedix questioned.
Len looked at Cross. Cross nodded slightly in their eye-to-eye communication. Len looked back at the boys and released his wings; all black.
"Holy shit!" Frost exclaimed. "Dude, you're no shit a fallen angel."
"Well not angel anymore. We're just called the fallen." Len said and retracted his wings back.
"What did you do?" Frost questioned outright.
"Rather not talk about it, plus if you guys are the Special Agents, then you'll see it in my file." Len said. "Alright Cora. I'm going to go back to my dorm. Have fun, let me know if you need anything." Len waved them off and walked to the dorm side of the building.
"Cool. Special Agents, if you would follow me, we'll start in the gun range." Cora led them to the gun range and placed them in front of three types of weapons. A 45 pistol, an assault rifle and a sniper rifle. "With these three, I will be able to tell which gun you'll be better off with. We will be starting off with the pistol. We have three single stack magazines containing six bullets each. First round you will just shoot one magazine, take your time. Second round you will do rapid reload, rapid fire. Is that ok?" Cora asked. The boys nodded and got ready. Putting their ear plugs in and eye protection on, Cora made her way behind the firing line. "Once I tap your shoulders, you may fire at the target." Cora said. Cora waited a few moments and suddenly tapped the boys on the shoulder. Each began to fire at the target down range. Only 3 minutes had passed and both boys had placed their empty guns on the table and began to retrieve their targets. Cora took the targets and placed them side by side. "Frost, you're grouping is amazing. Dead center with all six shots. Hedix, you to, your grouping is amazing, but with two out of the center. Alright ready for rapid fire?" Cora asked and gave the boys another full magazine. Frost and Hedix stepped in front of the guns and loaded the magazine into the pistol. "Alright, same thing. When I tape your shoulders, commence firing." Cora noted and taped their shoulders instantly. The boys fired and rapidly ejected the first magazine and quickly reloaded the second and began to fire. Both boys completed the trial in 15 seconds' flat. "Nice job boys. That was awesome. Let's see how you did." Cora said and placed the targets side by side and compared them. "Hedix, that's really good, but a little off the center and to the right."
"Yeah, I was never really good with the pistol, but I was good enough to make it through the police academy." Hedix laughed.
"Frost. Just like before and even during rapid fire, all in the center. Nice job. Ok, we'll move onto the next." Cora said and led the boy to the next gun. Both boys had cleared all three guns within a thirty-minute time frame. Hedix was excelling in the assault rifle area and Frost was perfect in the pistol range. "Alright boys, we'll stop here for today. Tomorrow we'll work on the hand to hand and Frost's transformation abilities. Go get some rest. It's already ten o-clock. See you guys tomorrow alright." Cora smiled and walked into the elevator.
Frost and Hedix stood by and watched the elevator rise. "What do you think about this place?" Hedix asked.
"I like it. I think it'll be a nice change in our usual pace. Plus, you can actually see what I look like as a wolf." Frost smiled.
Hedix smiled as well. "Well, you mind if I bunk with you for the night?"
"It'll be my pleasure. May I interest you in a cup of ramen and a beer." Frost laughed as they made their way to the elevator.
"Yeah man that would be great." Hedix laughed as the elevator rose.