This was not what Angela was expecting at all. She was expecting a lot of nuns, well, there are nuns, but the people who aren't dressed like nuns outnumber them.
The people here are mostly dressed like how Chris, Wendy and JJ are dressed, like vigilantes or special agents. She was expecting something cult-like, but the scene looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. There are people with weapons walking past, and there are computers everywhere, and people before them wearing headsets.
She still cannot believe all these people are nephilim, the descendants of giants; they look so human. There's nothing remotely supernatural about them or her; she might be an angel, but she doesn't feel like an angel at all. She's still so confused about the whole angel thing. Maybe there's a better explanation, and she needs to calm down.
"Come on, let's get you to Father Guzman," JJ says, about to walk ahead. Angela is ready to follow, but she continues to stare at everything and everyone.
"¡Angela Hermosa Hernández!" She flinches because who the fuck would be calling her full government name in a place she doesn't know, filled with people she doesn't know?
She sees a tall, smiley man with grey hair and a beard dressed like a priest walking toward her. She squints at him and looks him up and down, trying her best to place him, see if she has met him before, and understand how he knows her full name. Or maybe her parents knew him; she doesn't know.
"It's so nice to meet you finally," he says in a Spanish accent. The way he even said Hermosa Hernandez was full-on Spanish-like.
"How do you know my name?" she asks.
"Well, I've been expecting you, my dear. He told me that you would be here?"
Angela's brows furrow; she's still confused. Everything about this night is super confusing. "He?" she asks.
"Our almighty father, of course," he answers.
"Father Guzman talks to the big guy upstairs, and he actually answers." JJ shakes his head. "So jealous."
"Sooo jealous." Wendy agrees, shaking her head. Chris just stands there with a small smile on his face, at least he thinks he's smiling.
"A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. Proverbs 14:30 " Father Guzman says to both Wendy and JJ.
"Sorry, Father Guzman," they both say with their heads bowed; they look embarrassed.
Angela looks between them, still confused as ever.
The big guy upstairs, meaning God?
"God spoke to you about me?" Angela asks.
"Yes."
"But why? I'm nothing special."
Chris scoffs, and everyone turns to look at him.
What's his problem?
Angela asks herself, looking straight at Chris, who has a smug look on his face. It looks like he doesn't like her, but when has Angela cared about being liked? It's his problem.
"Come, Angela, you are confused. I'll explain everything to you," he says, gesturing for Angela to follow her. Angela lingers a bit, and she looks at both Wendy and JJ, and they give her a thumbs up before Angela turns around to follow Father Guzman upstairs.
She walks by his side.
"I'm sure you know the story about the watchers who had sexual relations with women and the story of the flood."
"Yes, been hearing that story all my life," Angela says, fascinated by this building. No one knows it exists except the nephilims. "But I thought all the nephilims were killed during that flood."
"Yes, but not quite. The nephilims were a menace to society, causing nothing but destruction, so God had to intervene and bring down the flood to stop the wickedness going on. Humans weren't supposed to be around such power. People who were larger, stronger and faster than them." He shakes his head, and they stop to watch what's going on beneath them.
It seems like they're in a training room, and there are two people, a man and a woman, training like they're about to kill each other. But they're just training. Angela thinks the woman is badass. The whole place is filled with the sound of blades clashing against one another.
"God didn't want that; he never wanted humans to have so much knowledge about the supernatural world. Even though he wiped out the nephilim population, it was too late. Humans knew too much. The nephilims who died turned into demons, and then the ones who survived made a deal with God to spare them. A pact, a treaty.
They told God that if they get spared, they won't do anything to harm humans, but they'll protect them from demons, ns and their children's children's children will protect humans from demons. God agreed, and he made it a rule that every nephilim is to be born to protect humans from demons. No nephilim is to harm or kill any human, be it good or bad or else they will be executed.
Celestial weapons are provided to us, but we don't choose the weapon; the weapons choose us at a young age, mostly in our teens."
Angela thinks about the glowing blue weapons that Chris, Wendy and JJ were holding. They're so beautiful, because of course they are, they're not normal weapons, they're weapons from heaven given to the nephilim to defeat demons.
"So what happens if no weapon chooses you after your teens?"
"Then you die."
Angela's eyes go wide in fear and shock.
"There's no point in living anymore because the nephilim is born to protect and defend. If no weapon chooses you, that means you're not meant to exist."
"Damn, that's harsh," Angela says in Spanish.
"It's the pact they made with God." Father Guzman responds in Spanish.
Still, she was always taught never to question God.
"Demons are immortal, but nephilims aren't. We live for a long period of time before we die. Our ageing process is slow. Guess how old I am." Father Guzman asks smiling, and Angela sees that he really wants her to guess his age.
"Uh." Angela looks him up and down. "Like forty-four?"
Father Guzman bursts into laughter.
"I'm sixty-two."
Her jaw drops. "Shut the fuck up."
"Language."
"Oh, sorry, sorry." She forgot she's in the presence of a man of God.
Father Guzman laughs.
"Okay, so I'm a range,l and from what I know, angels are immortal. Does that mean I'm immortal, and also if you, JJ and the rest of the nephilims die, do you become demons?"
"No, we become angels, especially when we've served our purpose. It's the ones who kill humans and who haven't served their purpose that become demons, and as for you, being immortal, I don't know yet. Your case is different."
"But why, why did he choose me? Why did he give me a second chance? I was an awful person to people." Angela looks away, trying to control the tears that threaten to burst out.
"So was Paul, but God gave him a second chance. And he persecuted Christians."
Angela looks at Father Guzman. "I'm pretty sure in that story God didn't turn him into an angel."
"There's a reason why he turned you into one, there's something big coming, and he wants you to join us to stop it."
"Wait, wait, something like what? Demons, powerful demons? The devil."
"Something much worse. God didn't just bring you back to life to go back to your old ways. And from the looks of things, since you were already turning from your old ways before meeting me, that means God chose the right person."
"Okay, okay, look, I love God for giving me a second chance, but…" she scoffs. "The highest thing I can do is use my second chance to do good in the world, be kind to people, and give more than receive. I'm just a dumb teenage girl, I can't fight demons or whatever is coming. I just can't." Angela backs away.
"But Angela, God chose you;, there's a reason he placed that halo in your chest."
"Then he should choose someone else because I don't think I'm the one. I don't mind if he takes my second life away."
"You don't mean that, Angela. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 136:1"
"I'm sorry," she says, and she stands in a way that shows she's about to do something.
"Angela, wait, you haven't fully mastered the art of transpo-"
Angela finds herself face-to-face with a large truck headed toward her.
This is it, God is going to take the life he gave her.