Then Fame started to complain about how much it was to keep a pilot and staff at the ready. So in order to cut costs, I suggested that someone learn how to fly and another someone take care of keeping everything stocked and fueled. D ended up being the natural pilot in the family and proceeded to get his license, while War kept the plane stocked with our favorite snacks and drinks. I would make fun of him, but he made the best Rusty Nail, and when he was miffed at me, he tended to put some grenadine in it, which ruined the whole flavor profile.
As soon as we landed, I had our normal west coast cars at the ready; a Bentley for Fame, a Bugatti for War, a Pagani Zonda for me, and a Lamborghini for D. It always made life easier when we all had our own wheels. Last time we buddied up, War and D almost argued off a cliff. Couldn't have that happen again.
As we each walked to our cars, I texted them the coordinates for the house we owned in Santa Monica, knowing D & War had the memory of a goldfish, and we took off.
War was already ordering Chinese when I arrived at the house, so I started to make some drinks for our planning session. Everything was better if liquor was involved. The other two showed up just in time for the food.
As soon as we started, I knew this was going to be rough. After a few rounds of ideas, it didn’t take long for fists to start flying around. Turned out, we all had different thoughts on how to execute the job. Shocker, I know.
After the shouting, punching, name calling, and a piece of furniture smashed by War, Fame stood up and said he thought that Lucifer might’ve been right. Since we had enough keys for each of us to try, we should approach the situation in our own way first. If, for some reason, we all failed, we'd still have the fifth portal key for our one last shot. We decided early on that the last shot should go to whoever was closest to getting her through the portal.
Then came figuring out who went first. After some grumbling, cursing, and War breaking a glass while throwing a fit, Fame decided the fairest way to figure it out was to draw straws for our order. After we all picked our straws, it looked like I would be first, then War, then Fame, with D at the end since he didn't want to pick a straw. He said he knew he was going to win anyway and wanted to give us all a shot so we wouldn't bitch about it later. He was such a dick sometimes.
After we picked, I felt this sudden tug on my magic, almost pulling me enough to force me forward a step. I looked around, trying to figure out what it was that caused it, when I noticed all of us were standing in the order we were supposed to be in when we start the apocalypse.
“Did you feel that?” I asked the room, hoping I wasn't finally losing my marbles.
War scratched his head, looking puzzled, more than shocked. “Yeah. But what does it mean?”
D shrugged, trying not to look like it bothered him, but I saw his hand clench in frustration.
Fame didn't say anything either, but his eyes sharpened on the files of Lillian Darkstar, which sat on the glass coffee table.
I was about to ask them if they thought it had anything to do with the order we picked, but I held my tongue. They hated whenever I brought up the reason we were made or what our endgame was. I didn't know why. It was just facts, but they viewed it as a downer.
Maybe for them it meant we were on a time clock, or maybe it stemmed from the fact that we didn't know much about what we were supposed to do. We had been told, while in that cage in heaven, that at the right time and date, Michael the Archangel, would come down and tell us it was time. Then we were to release our power at the same time to help create a new world. That was it. That was all we had been told. Not anything about what happened to us after or what to expect.
Once upon a time, we’d tried to figure it out on our own, tried to be more a part of our destiny instead of being led by it, but all we’d gotten were dead ends and rumors. And those damn Angels! Talking to them was like talking to a wall that smiled and nodded to everything you said and then replied, “What will be, will be.” They’d acted as if they didn't keep their mouths shut, they would be turned to ash in front of us; so we gave up on knowing any more. We decided we wanted to live life how we wanted to. Destiny be damned.
Fame finally shook his head from his own thoughts and looked up at us with a frown before bending over to snatch up the files on Lillian Darkstar, shoving a folder at each of us while grumbling under his breath. He was always such a Debbie Downer.
I immediately opened it, ready to find out our target's weakness to exploit, finding pages and pages about Lillian Darkstar, but noticing one crucial piece of the puzzle was left out. Her Goddamn picture. I snapped the file shut.
“Where is the photo, Fame?'
“What does she look like?”
Both War and I complained at the same time while Fame turned on his shark charm. D sighed and sauntered to the liquor cabinet.
“Why, that’s my fee, dear brothers.”
I was about to ream him a new one when he turned to War and cooed, “Don't you want a challenge? Snatching the hell girl is going to be soooo easy for you. Might as well keep something exciting, right? Making the fight and victory that much sweeter?”
I could tell he had already won War over as he brought his hand to his chin and thought about what Fame said. The twinkle in his eye at the challenge and chase started to grow, but I was not so easily swayed with pretty words.
It was interesting. Fame hiding the girl from us… It just made my curiosity flare. I relented like I was giving in. Fame nodded as he turned away, pleased with himself, but I knew how to get what I wanted. He wasn’t the only one who could work the damn internet.
My eyes snagged on D sitting on the couch, one hand holding a whiskey, the other hand flipping the pages of some poker magazine, smirking like he didn’t have a care in the world. His file on the couch was untouched.
“You going to read that?” I pointed at the file as I sneered, but he just snorted and kept flipping the damn pages.
“Why would I need to do that when you all are going first? Also, I don’t care who she is or what she looks like, when it’s my turn—after you all fail, of course—I will be able to push her across that portal line with my little lucky finger. Don't worry. Big bro will finish the simple job you three can't. Like I always do.”
Big bro, my ass.We didn't know the creation order, so we just assumed we were all the same age.
My jaw tightened, and I took a deep breath through my nose as I tried not to get angry. I relaxed my shoulders as I reminded myself that was what he wanted, the fucking prick, for me to get mad. He just wouldn't be himself if he didn't push the buttons of those closest to him.
War, on the other hand, did not have my patience or understanding, so after D’s little speech, War barreled forward to tackle him. D timed it perfectly, slipping into the seat next to him, not spilling a drop of his drink, as War slammed his head into the couch.
