“I need the mailing addresses for Elm, Morgan, The Mann, and Thunder,” Helen said.
Azrael didn't hold back, “And for fucking what?”
“I'm inviting them to my wedding,” she said.“Oh, and the mailing address for Kurtzwilde.”
“Cranberry, what in the entire hell is going on?Why was he looking for you?”
Helen started to laugh.Only in her world could something so ridiculous be a reality.Her boss was going to curse her up one side and down another.
“My mother-in-law makes these amazing biscuits and I taught Stephen, that’s Bad Apple's ward, how to make them.I taught Passion Fruit how to make them as well,” she said.“Evidently, when Daddy came for a visit, Passion Fruit had put up some actual curtains and added a colorful rug, and she made him some biscuits she served with the homemade jam I left at the house.”
The line was quiet, then a sigh, followed by, “What?”
“Yeah, she talked to Daddy about her childhood and asked about his, where he grew up, yaddah, yaddah, and he enjoyed the visit,” she said.
“Cranberry, you're about to make my frickin' head explode!What does that have to do with you?”
“He wants me to wave my fairy wand and bring all his little bastard Technicians together so they can meet, and he wants to be at the table,” she said.“What better way than invite them to my wedding.”
“Your wedding?You're inviting them to the wedding?”
“Why the hell not?”she said, “The Mann is a direction, and The Archangel, Yield, and Slow will be there.I was going to ask Passion Fruit to be a bridesmaid as an excuse to get some moisturizer in the wiry wig on her head she calls hair.Mustang is the groom, so inviting Morgan wouldn't be a stretch, but Thunder and Elm will be wildcards.How would I get them to come?”
“And you simply plan to sit them all at table together with dear old Dad?Cranberry, you can't be serious,” Azrael said.
“Serious as acid reflux when you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep,” Helen replied.“I was planning to make the wedding a family affair anyway, and you'll be there, as well as the Archangel.If I invite Jesús, it would be easy to reach out to...who are the handlers for the Northeast, Midwest, and Western crews?”
“Belial handles the West, Ariel the Storms, and Moloch the Trees,” she said.
“Belial is Mustang's former handler, so inviting him is no issue.Kurtzwilde is truly proud of those kids, Azrael,” she said.“If I can wave my magic wand to make it happen, he said he'd retire.”
Azrael nearly choked on her spit “He would what?”
“Retire,” she repeated.“He's tired.His kids with his current wife are useless, and these kids are his pride and joy.He wants them all at the same table to have dinner and cake.I have an event coming up and I can make it happen for him.”
“Why would you do that, Cranberry?”
Helen paused.“I think for the first time in his life, he felt appreciated as a man and a father.Passion Fruit prepared for his visit and actually had a conversation with him as a person.He felt seen.He felt seen as a human and not as a man who handed out money and paid for shit his kids could work for and pay for themselves if they had some gumption.I can also bust up the Chrysalis.”
“Cranberry, this is very unusual.It would also be unusual to have the Archangels and the tech crews in the same spot at once,” Azrael cautioned.
“I'm also inviting the Bushmaster and Fer de Lance,” she said.“Who in their right mind is going to fuck with my wedding?I say we do it and bring the family together, dance, have some cake, and meet each other outside of dead bodies and warehouses filled with children’s broken dreams.Shit, Pear could use some fun in her life.”
Azrael found herself laughing.“You are entirely insane, and I am here for the ride.Is there anything else you need?”
“One, I’m pissed at the Mom-mobile you got me instead of my F150, two, I need supplies for my back seat, and three, who are my Seraphims?”
The reference to the back seat meant the Technicians maintained supplies under the seat: Ammo, clothing changes, and supplies of their trade were kept handy for missions and overnight assignments.She would need to supply her back seat.The Seraphims, like Jared and Gabriel Neary in the CIA, were domestic watchers of covert activities on American soil; each state was assigned at least two.
“You have two, one North and one in Indianapolis,” Azrael said.“You'll connect with each when your training is complete.”
“Okay, what about licenses and registrations for my weapons?”
“Don't buy any until after you're certified as a Technician,” Azrael said.“You will then get like a 007 marker with a license to kill kind of thing.”
“Oh shit.I'm going to be a licensed bad ass.”Helen said, grinning.“Hell, let's make some magic.I'm going to wave my magic wand and sprinkle fairy dust all over the dammed place.”
“Cranberry, take it slow and please rest up.Sour Grapes is quite different,” she said.“She's a different breed and she really doesn't like peopling, so having you in her home for three months is going to mess with her mentally.”
