Part 50
I have a feeling she'll try to help, no matter what I tell her to do. Best I explain things to her.

The writer drew a deep breath and looked out the window: Micah was leaning against his car, waiting. He'd have to be quick. "Sit down," Nathan said to her, letting out a sigh. "I'm about to make myself sound completely insane."

Susan did as told, slipping down onto the couch, her hopeful gaze never leaving his face as he ran his fingers through his hair and began to pace. "Does that mean I can help?"

He swallowed the knot in his throat, but nodded. "Yeah, but this is a lot more complicated than you can imagine. A lot more... weird."

"Weird how?"

"Just... hear me out entirely before you say anything, okay?"

Susan nodded and waited patiently for him to begin. "Okay."

"Good. So, first, Micah out there isn't exactly human..."

Nathan gave her a quick rundown of the basics: who the angels were and the Sins they were trying to find. He told her that Wren had been possessed by Wrath, and that he was probably the one who had given her the letter. He didn't tell her about Avery (since they had already saved him), and he was careful to use the name Lumiel when telling her about Alton's true identity, just in case. He told her about Gabriel and why he doesn't like to be touched, and he warned her about Micah's temper. He also warned her about Wrath's invulnerability, and how he apparently attracts the Sins (even though he wasn't entirely sure if that was still true). When he was done, he waited for a moment to let all this information sink in before he asked, "So, do I sound crazy yet?"

The photographer had been staring at him in rapt attention the entire time, and only then did she seem to pause and consider, looking to the side before she looked up at him again. "You sound completely mad, yes. But I'm willing to go along with it if it means we can save these people, whether or not their captor is the embodiment of Wrath." She sighed and smiled at him, lifting one shoulder. "Worst come to worst and all this is real, at least I'll know what to expect."

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly." She didn't believe him, he realized, but at least she didn't completely blow him off. Nathan rubbed the back of his neck and started towards the door. "Let's go before it's too late."

Outside, Micah barely flinched when Nathan jogged up to him, Susan in tow, though he did lock eyes with the writer, as if to ask how much he told her. Nathan quickly signed to him that he'd told her everything, and with a silent nod, the angel moved around to the driver's side of his car. "As long as she stays out of trouble," he muttered as the other two got in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone had been silent for the entire ride to Popino Drive, and as the letter had said, there was an abandoned meat processing plant at the far end of the road, tucked away behind a row of trees that had no doubt been planted to hide its presence. Micah got out of his car and quickly moved towards the building, only to be stopped when Susan spoke up from behind him: "Detective?"

Nathan noticed he didn't hide his agitation as he turned around to face her. The photographer brushed her fingers through the ends of her hair and chewed on her lip. "Um, if you're an angel, where are your wings?"

Micah's stare narrowed. "Hidden." He started walking again.

"Why? I mean, besides the obvious. Since we all know you're an angel, why don't you show them now?"

Said angel growled and looked back again. "Because I do not wish to show them to you." He whipped back around and once more began towards the building.

"Why...?"

"Woman, if you keep asking such inane questions, I will lock you in the car!" This time when he whirled around to face her, his gold eyes were glowing brilliantly enough to show even in the late afternoon sun. "Do I make myself clear?"

Susan squeaked meekly and nodded, looking over at Nathan, as if he could protect her. But he just shrugged. "I told you he had a temper..."

"Both of you, quiet," Micah growled, pulling out his gun. "And stay behind me. We do not know what we will find here."

The nearest entrance was a loading dock, the door rusted and stuck half-open, only darkness visible beyond. Micah motioned for them to follow as he stepped inside, the glow of his eyes becoming more pronounce as they moved further and further from the sunlight coming in through the door. Nathan squinted, trying to see in the increasingly darker room. "Wish we'd thought to bring a flashlight..."

On cue, a hazy gray light lit up the small area where they stood, not quite as bright as a flashlight, but certainly filling more area. Nathan glanced over at Susan and noticed she'd taken her cellphone out, the light coming from the completely white screen. "What?" she asked. "I saw it on Discovery once. Works pretty well..."

"Shh..." Micah shushed. "Over this way."

Nathan continued to follow the angel for a moment until he realized the light was staying in place. He glance back towards Susan and noticed she was looking towards another area. He frowned as he went over to her. "Come on. We need to stay together."

"I thought I heard something," she said quietly, and then, completely ignoring him, began walking in the opposite direction. Nathan sighed as he looked back at Micah, the angel apparently unaware (or not caring) that no one was following him.

Crap, this was a bad idea. I can't stay put; I have to follow one of them. But do I go with Susan, and the pray we don't run into anything, or go with Micah, and hope she'll be alright on her own? Damn it, I should have made her stay at the apartment.

What do I do?