My sister was taken back by Kathryn’s father and Damien and I are upset, but we have to keep cool heads and continue pressing forward and make our next plan of action. A few days ago we sent out a rescue mission for Kathryn’s twin brother who has been getting tortured for answers. We are now awaiting a connection from them so that we know that they got in safely. Kathryn and I sit nervously at the table with the other humans as we wait for word from Sebastien who had decided to go with the team. The screen suddenly flashes on and it’s video from the team breaking into the dungeons of the castle in the Inferno.

’They’re going to get him back.’ I tell Kathryn through our link and she smiles and squeezes my hand. She decided that she didn’t want to hear anything once we got the connection because she couldn’t bear it if she had to hear these people die. Sebastien easily breaks the metal door down and grabs the unconscious child from the room and they make a run for it. ’They’ve got him. They are on the craft and headed back to us.’ I tell Kathryn and she starts shaking with excitement. I smile down at her. She’s been through so much for only being 10 years old. I mean, hell I’m only 19 and I still haven’t been through as much as she has. Other than getting kicked out of the royal family there was really nothing extremely significant that happened in my life.

"We are having trouble containing the boy!" One of the humans yells through the earpiece. I look around the table at the panicked faces.

"What’s happening?" I ask calmly into the microphone. I had to step away from Kathryn so that she wouldn’t hear.

"He woke up and started screaming and flailing. Saying something about a monster! We cannot contain him!" They yell. David was brainwashed.

"David?" I hear Sebastien’s calm voice call out to the boy. All noise stops for a moment until I hear the sound of someone falling to the ground. Sebastien had knocked him out. "Katherine?" He asks through his earpiece.

"I’m here." I tell him.

"Good. Prepare an isolated room for him. He is not in good condition." He commands me.

"Yes, sir." I hear him laugh when I say that.

"Please don’t call me sir. I don’t like feeling old or feeling like I have all of that responsibility." He tells me. I roll my eyes as I start walking toward the hospital wing.

"You are old Sebastien. You should learn to embrace that and use it against people." I tell him.

"Use my age against people? I don’t think that’s a good idea. The humans think I was just kind of created and then dropped. I don’t think they really need to know how much older I actually am than that." He replies.

"That’s true. You are kind of a really old man. It’s a good thing you don’t have to look like one because I definitely would not have been friends with you if you had looked like a wrinkly old dude on the brink of death. Nope." I say. He laughs at me. It is true, he was one of the first angels ever created. He used to be a weapons keeper and I hear that he’s even looked God right in the face. Now he’s forced to live down here among the demons. At least he was able to adapt quickly and his weapons are anti-demon. He also has anti-angel weapons but those are only for the fight with his brother, if it actually ever happens.

"I like how you still know how to keep the mood light even when we are in a time of major war. I think that’s one of the best things for all of these people. And it’s also one of your best qualities. You’re fast on your feet and always know how to turn bad situations into good situations with a little bit of humor." He says. I stop in front of one of the isolated rooms and just stand there silent for a moment. He just complimented me, no one has ever complimented me before for anything. I’m just used to getting glares when I try to say something funny but he’s saying that it’s good for these people?

"Heh. That was unexpected coming from you. Usually I just get glares when I try to say something funny or make light of whatever situation is going on." I say as I open the door to the room and start preparing the bed and the machines.

"I know. The humans don’t understand that it is a way of remaining calm when all you want to do is run and scream. They think that you don’t take it seriously but they also don’t know that you are the one who started this whole plan in the first place." I just stay quiet thinking about something to say back until I hear someone say something about landing in the background. "We are about to be on the ground. Is the room prepared?" He asks me.

"Yes it is. I will call Damien down and we will get right to treating him and making him feel comfortable." I say. I take the earpiece out and mindlink Damien to get to the infirmary. Suddenly there’s a big commotion as the doors to the hospital area slam open and a gurney gets rushed to the room where I am standing. I step aside and let them take the young boy in. Sebastien stops next to me a little bit out of breath.

"That boy is crazy. They must have brainwashed him or done tons of mental torture." He tells me. I nod with a sad look on my face.

"Should Kathryn see him?" I ask. Sebastien nods.

"Yes. Just to see what exactly is wrong with him. We should see how he reacts when he sees his sister." He tells me. I put my earpiece back in and call for the general to bring Kathryn to the infirmary for her brother to see her. Five minutes later the general walks in with Kathryn trailing a little bit behind looking a little apprehensive now about seeing her brother. I walk over to her and put my hand on her shoulder.

’I’m not going to be your ears just in case this ends badly. He is not your brother right now but we will work to get him back.’ I tell her. Her eyes look sad but she doesn’t say anything back. David had just woken up completely calm so I knock on the open door to draw his attention to me. Kathryn cowers behind me a little but he still sees her and gets off of the bed. There is an angry look in his eyes as he walks closer to us. I step back with Kathryn still halfway behind me but he grabs her quickly and slams her against the wall.

"You did this to me!" He screams in her face. His hand is wrapped around her neck and she is crying. I’m trying to pull him away but he is very strong. "You made me this way! If you hadn’t killed mother none of this would have happened! You’re a monster!" He screams and punches her in the face. He picks her up off the wall and slams her back down again. "You’re a monster!" He continues to scream as Sebastien runs into the room and wrenches him off of Kathryn. I pull her protectively into my arms and carry her out of the room. I push into her thoughts and try to see what she is thinking. There is only one thing.

’I’m a monster.’