This is Rated R for blood, violance and similar themes. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Do Angels Fear the Reaper? CHAPTER 9 The taxi soon arrived and a middle aged man stepped out, he had a floppy hat and jacket over aged jeans. He hurried up the steps and into the apartment where Kei was holding onto the back of Yuri in her wheel chair. She was still complaining about the baby as she had been all week. She hoped nothing was abnormal about this. Maybe this was the week, they didn't really know. He helped Kei get her into the taxi and he soon got in the driver's seat and sped off. "Thanks, Phil," Kei said from the back seat. She had Yuri leaning against her. Phil had been a friend at the bar, he would drink a bit, talk about his passengers and travels then leave a nice tip. They've been backing each other up on this and that as time went on. Right now they headed for the hospital. After a mile or so a massive explosion rocked the street. An entire building had exploded and crumbled under its own weight followed by another and another. The pleasant city they have come to know was now a war zone. "Damn, what the hell is flying around up there?" Phil asked as if he could get an answer. Kei looked out the window and saw nothing. Whatever it was, it was camouflaging itself rather well or was moving really fast. She glanced through the other window over Yuri's side best she could without any luck. She then looked out the back window just as part of the road was completely cratered by a missile blast. "Hurry it up and get to the hospital!" Kei ordered. "I'll pay for the speeding ticket, damn it!" "And the reckless driving?" "Yeah that too," "And the D.U.I.?" "WHAT?" "Joking, sheesh," he slammed on the gas pedal and rushed by some slower cars soon ripping through an intersection. A few cars crashed behind them, nothing serious. A few minutes later they arrived at the hospital. Kei was getting worried and started to fidget unconsciously. As far as she was concerned, Yuri needed to give birth as soon as possible or after this mess subsides, if it could. The explosions had died down or at least stayed on the other side of the city. Luckily it appeared as though they weren't chased. They pulled into the busy emergency room on the south side of the building and helped Yuri out of the car and into another wheel chair. "We'll treat you, but please know that the city is in a constant threat and this hospital is about to be flooded with more patients," a doctor spoke. Kei nodded and tapped her foot fervently. Things could be worse she assumed. -- At the scene of Kei and Yuri's apartment rested two young women by a motorcycle. They were hoping to warn them, but came too late as usual. "Hey Rachael," "What?" "Look here, tire tracks! Fresh ones too," Volandia stood up from where she had been looking the street over. "Ok, Yuri's pregnant right? Let's get to the hospital." "Alright, I'm driving this time!" Volandia jumped on the motor cycle and once Rachael got on, they sped off down the wrecked road. "Dirty Pair," a voice spoke from over head. A figure in a white cloak landed directly in front of the motorcycle. The bike screeched and slammed directly into the cloaked figure and soon all was stopped. They fell off the bike gently upon the ground once it slowed down enough. The figure recomposed itself and turned to face the two. "You, pigeons, know where they are, tell me," it spoke again. "We don't know! Well, not for sure, um," Volandia stuttered. "Shall I rip the thoughts from your mind? I don't promise anything," it stepped forward, blades protruding from its right arm of the cloak viciously. "Our bike is ruined, we couldn't have you follow us if we tried," Rachael answered with as much fervor as she could. This thing before her made her skin crawl. "I will fix your bike, you will take me there, or you will die a horrid death, just as those pathetic Dirty Pair wannabes did on that space station!" It shouted. The voice echoed around the block unnaturally. "Ok," Volandia spat. She looked at her partner and blinked. Rachael blinked back. They were thinking the same despite all that would make them powerless to do anything other than what the being would have them do. With all of the training they have had, they had always adored the legendary Lovely Angels before them, now they were angels, they would do anything to earn that name. "Fix it already," Rachael spat at the white cloaked demon. This demon walked forward and grabbed the bike with its spikes soon all was repaired and returned to normal. It set it back down and pointed at it. The Angels, better known as the pigeons, cowered in fear before the demon and quickly got on the bike. They would lead the demon out of the city in hopes of buying enough time for whatever. This was suicide, but then again being on the same planet as this demon wasn't much better. The demon rose into the air and jets appeared on its back. It matched speeds with the bike and followed it down the street to the highway. They proceeded at high speeds avoiding all the cars they could hoping no shots would be fired. It seems to be assuming they were too scared to trick it or it's patient enough to not care. Thoughts ran through the girl's heads especially that of the space station, could this being be strong enough to destroy the planet on its own? -- Nurses and doctors ran from room to room. Insurance papers were for otten, forms ignored. The place was doing all it could to save lives. "Hello, Mrs. Suzuki, I am Doctor Stevens," he held out a hand to shake. Yuri just nodded. Kei shook it instead and sat back down on her chair. "So, Doc, what's the verdict?" Kei asked. Robert walked in and over to Yuri without much noticing anyone else in the room. Yuri smiled and flinched in pain. "I will get some qualified nurses together as soon as I can, Mrs. Suzuki, you'll be a mother vve y soon," he explained. Yuri laughed and winced in pain. This was to be the greatest moment of her life. "Alright," Kei smiled and patted Yuri's left leg and stood up. She pushed Robert aside, "I'm going to talk with Phil at the bar a block over. This kind of thing takes time, so hang in there and call me. Everything will be alright." "You promise?" "I can't promise, Yuri, I will do all I can though," Kei kissed her on the forehead and walked out of the room. -- "Damn it, what are we doing?" Volandia asked right into her partner's ear hoping the demon wasn't keen to their desperate and suicidal plan. "Whatever we can, we will not be pigeons!" "Aren't the U.G. up ahead?" "This won't be pretty," Rachael gritted her teeth and poured on the speed. In a blinding flash missiles took to the sky and the business sector of the city became a war zone in moments. After successive blasts to and from the demon everything became stale. The bike was lost in the wreckage. Death tolls were all but uncountable. "Did we get him?" a man pushed some concrete aside. He was lucky to receive minimal damage. "Sonar and infra red show nothing," another man replied and tossed a chunk of concrete next to him. "Damn, perfect ambush and it fails, what did we do wrong?" he asked. "We were out matched," he shrugged. Cussing and mumbling sounded from some wreckage some distance off. Rachael shoved some concrete aside and pulled herself and soon her partner free of the wreckage. Save for broken bones and cuts, they were fine. "Hey you two!" the man shouted. "Daley, who are they?" "Uh, the Lovely Angels." "Damn, HEY PIGEONS, YOU OK?" he shouted across the battle field. "Yeah!" Rachael shouted back and winced in pain. "Damn rusted wingnuts," "Those are the Iron Angels right?" Volandia asked softly. "Yeah, did a fine job, didn't they? Demon fled the scene after decimating the area. We did all we, ow, could, I hope Kei and Yuri are ok." "Heh, things actually blew up this time." "They did, didn't they? Guess we might earn at least the Dirty Pair nick name. It wouldn't be too bad, I hate being pigeons," Rachael sighed and carried Volandia over closer to the Iron Angels. Medical units hovered over and started freeing more people from the wreckage. It would be a long day for the stationed U.G. forces. -- "Hey, Phil, what brought you to this city anyways?" Kei asked gently. She was seated across from Phil at the gentleman's bar. Few people were here, but it remained open for the time being. "Well," Phil drank some more of his beer and set it back down, "it wasn't the beer," he laughed to himself. Kei just smiled. "It was a busy city, good tippers, good sight seeing. How bout you?" "Well any planet is fine by me. Robert, Yuri's husband, lived here so we all ended up living here. I'm also good friends with Pete." "Yeah, I've lived on this planet all my life, my family was never much for traveling. You were a trocon, what do you make of the rogue mech out there?" "I don't know what to make of it, it does bother me greatly though. I'm just hoping the U.G. can handle it." "United Galactica are here?" "Yeah." "The explosions seemed to have stopped," Phil sipped his watered down beer some more. "Yeah, a bit unnerving if you ask me," Kei looked around the near empty bar. The strippers had canceled, kind of convenient. She looked down at her cell phone. Nothing came of it yet. "Something the matter?" Phil slid his half glass of beer aside and pulled a few bills from his wallet. "I will be an aunt soon, never thought I'd live to see this day, 24 years now." "24? Heh, thought you for 20," "You trying to flirt with me again, old man?" "I'm only 30," "Your driver's license says 32." "Hey you pick pocket, give it back!" Kei tossed it back just in time for the phone to ring. "Hey Robby, ok, wouldn't miss it for the world, see you both soon." "Alright, let's get going then," Phil paid for the drinks and headed out with Kei close by. After a block or so, "You sure you don't want to come in?" Kei asked a second time. "I have family to check on, maybe I can act as an ambulance again. City has to pull together as a family, right?" "Well, come visit sometime then." The taxi cab pulled up to the entrance of the hospital and parked. Kei got out and walked around to the driver's side door. "Thank you, Phil, I'll see you later." "Sure thing, Angel, be careful." "Heh, I'll be ok." He waved subtly and drove off down the street. Kei checked the time on her phone and figured she'd make it there quickly enough. She walked further towards the entrance and almost to the doorway. "Dirty Pair," a half synthetic voice sounded from every direction. Kei stopped in her tracks. Emotions and thoughts raced through her. Yuri was to have her first child soon and she might not live to see it let alone this entire hospital. "You are Kei Misaki," the being's voice resounded through her bones sending a chill down her spine. "Go away!" Kei spat in defiance. "You will suffer!" the white cloaked being rocketed into the air and landed with its back to her. It soon reformed its body to face her. One more step forward and they were mere inches from each other. "Go to hell," Kei muttered. "Yes, hate me!" "Wait, you aren't Techtonica, you remind me more of the Reaper." The pristine white cloak burned with liquid metal. Blades spun and flew all over the body until the cloak turned blacker than the loneliest of space. "I am neither the Reaper squirrel nor the man made demon known as Techtonica, refer to me as Rapture," "Squirrel?" "Yes, Centurion was once an anthropod squirrel of great power and prestige. Now, I ask you, where is your partner?" She stepped closer and stared directly into the hood with pride and confidence, "I'd rather die then let you touch her, Reaper." "Haha, so you see me as the Reaper?" a large scythe grew from its right shoulder. A long stick extended further while a wickedly sharp blade grew from the top. Rapture stepped backwards to put itself in range. "You are unafraid of death?" "I will not let you touch her!" Kei shouted. Time was running out and that was the only thing on her mind. She knew they were worrying. "After you die, this hospital will cease to exist." with one quick motion the blade touched flesh, bone and then concrete which cracked and crumpled under the force of the blade.