Archangel 2099UG #9

And the Lord will lighten my darkness.

2 Samuel 22:29

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What a beautiful city this is. I have been waiting a while to see it, but now, happily, the sun has gone down and the night is mine! I have explored the night life of cities spread across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, still and all, my heart has brought me here yet again, back to the former United States.

I smile as the lights begin to go on all over Halo City. Like rabbits in their burrows, they think they are safe because they burn electric candles and ignore the night. Well, let them believe it now; in Halo City at least, I am here to help them sleep a little easier.

A short while ago I was one of them, making a living and worrying about the day-to-day problems inspired by mortality. Now, however, I may well "live" to see eternity; that is, if some Vampire Hunter doesn't find me first.

In my warm life my mother had named me Becka McBride. I grew from childhood and with time came to represent a civil liberties group called the Peoples' Movement. We took on the big wheels and won, but in the process I lost my life... or would have had I not been found that night by Sister Lucia. She gave me the Red kiss, and on that night Lachryma was born.

My mother-in-Darkness was a member of the Sisterhood of Tears, an Ancient Order of Catholic vampires. She tutored me in the history of our world, focusing on the Age of Heroes. She also explained that it is the sacred goal of the Sisterhood to unite the few remaining vampires in the world. Under her instruction, I learned how to seduce the warm and sup without killing. She taught me the strengths and weaknesses of my new form. I used all of her training to get into Halo undetected, and I will continue to use her sage advice to become its guardian of the night. The X-Men can have the daylight, but now it's my turn to shine. (For all of the above, please see Marvel's 2099 Unlimited #4).

I leap from the top of a very tall building and freefall to the darkness below. Twenty floors later, I land lightly, soundlessly. The wind blows in from the ocean, and I instinctively pull my small leather jacket around me. It is impossible for me to get cold anymore, but old habits die hard.

As far as cities go, Halo City is a fairly new community. However, despite its recent vintage, there is a lived-in quality to the place. Interestingly, I can see a definite arrangement to its many neighborhoods. There is the administration quarter, where the X-Men and city council live and work, some residential locales, and, finally, the area that I begin to explore now: Screamtown. It is an unfinished section of the city's edge, a desolate place where construction was begun but left uncompleted. It is often said that, as its name suggests, Screamtown is filled with violence and crime. What surprised me most was that the area is kept free of any inhabitants over the age of 20. I assume that this is one problem the X-Men are too busy to address, so I figure I will take a look around and try to make a difference.

"Psst!!!"

I turn and look for the source of the noise; it comes from a small blond boy, probably in his pre-teens. "Yes?"

"Hey lady! You gotta get the shock outta here!"

I smile. " And why is that, uh...?"

"Trinity! My name is Trinity, and it's because the Wild Boys have declared war on all Oldies since the last one trashed them so bad a few nights ago." (See details of the Evil One's battle with the Wild Boys in X-Men 2099 UG #8 (Series #41))

"Well thank you very much for the warning, Trinity, but I'm a big girl and..."

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

The sound is a blood-curdling scream that cut through the night like an ax. I spin, trying to orient on the direction, but it seems to echo from all around me.

"Shock! That's probably them. I'm fading, Oldie. Good luck."

As Trinity melts into the darkness, I hear another scream and then sobbing. This permits me to focus in on the location a tad bit better; I begin to run for the sound. I soon find myself in a trash-choked alley, shrouded in shadow, with the sounds of struggle bouncing toward me. I slow down a bit and enter cautiously.

"Please let me go! Don't hurt me." A woman's voice pleads. "I was just looking for my little boy. He ran away."

"Ha! You Glitch! Maybe he don't wanna be found! I'm gonna teach you Oldies that Screamtown's not the place for you. I may not 'ave been able to stop that last shockin' Oldie, but if I hurt you enough, maybe I'll feel better about it."

I finally get close enough to make out the scene and see a single, helpless, human woman, who is lying on the ground, bruised and scraped up, with her blouse partially torn. Around her is a collection of young street toughs, probably mutants. The speaker is a boy, obviously the leader, astride a motor bike; he has wild hair and an evil look to his eye. With him is a very thin boy on another bike; this one holds what appears to be daggers of light. The third assailant is a true monster of a creature, with a purple hide and a face full of large teeth. The last juvie is also quite monstrous in appearance: all hair, claws and wings. The four teenagers all appear to be somewhat injured but still more than able to brutalize their would-be victim.

"Time to say goodnight, Oldie."

"Hello, boys."

They seemed stunned, and all turn toward the sound of my voice. I use my most seductive stance and stand there, silhouetted by the light of the street behind me. It is the leader who speaks first. "Shock! Another one! We're being overrun! Trash! Take down the leather-lover over there while me and the boys finish up here."

All four of the young men smile, and the one called Trash seems to smile best, what with his face full of teeth and all. I smile too. He begins to move for me, quite quickly for a person of his bulk, and I must admit that had I been in my warm life, I would have been frightened. But there are few physical forces that can harm a vampire, and Trash, I am confidant, will have little success in subduing me.

He charges suddenly and hits me hard and fast. I am surprised that he takes me off my feet; indeed, I go flying through the air to bounce off a nearby wall. He turns as if that is all there was to it. " Leather Glitch neutralized, Dorian."

I stand and take great pleasure in the obvious embarrassment that "Trash" feels when next I speak. "Hardly neutralized, Trash. My last date hit harder than that love tap."

With his back still to me, Trash keeps his body still but turns his head until he can see me. "She's a mutant, Dorian."

The one called Dorian, the leader, barks impatiently. "Well, take her out, jammit! I'm busy!"

Trash leaps at me and lands a vicious kick to my jaw. However, this time I set my feet and refuse to fall. The sound of the blow reverberates through the alley like a gunshot, and everyone turns at the sudden noise. What they see is me standing there unharmed, with a very thin and ominous smile on my face. "My turn, Trash."

If Trash's stroke sounded like a gunshot, then mine was a thunderclap. I land a blow into his midsection that seems to have little effect, but then I follow through and lift him into the air, an effort that takes both hands, seeing as his great bulk is nearly 500 pounds. A moment later, I throw him hard into the very wall I bounced off of earlier. He hits head-first and falls to the ground, very conscious yet leaving a large dent in the wall.

This maneuver finally gains Dorian's attention, and he yells over his shoulder to his comrades. "Shiv! Finish off the other Oldie! Warbird, help me with this one."

I watch the one called Shiv draw back his light daggers in an attempt to throw them at the human woman. I can now see that the situation has become a touch more critical; I begin to run at Dorian and this Warbird and manage to leap over them. They realize my tactic too late, and I land in a roll behind them and spring up to impose myself between Shiv and his intended target. The blades hit me hard, and I have to take a step back to keep my balance. The woman behind me screams, obviously not realizing the blades failed to score. Over my shoulder, I yell to her. "RUN!"

As I leap unharmed at Shiv, I do not have time to see if the woman obeys me; I must now ensure that he does not put those blades into her back as she runs. I strike him with a kick, hard to his head, and he spins to the ground. By then, Warbird has taken flight and is nearly upon me. I grab a large sheet, or some such cloth refuse from the ground, and throw it up in the air, spinning away as I duck under Warbird's attack. Unable to see me, Warbird flies into the fabric and blindly crashes into a nearby dumpster. Next, with a straight-arm, I take the speeding Dorian off his bike. I look around and see that they are all hurt, but not seriously, and that the woman had escaped. I decide it would be wise to leave now rather that to prolong the conflict, as I have proven my point to the Wild Boys.

However, before I can retreat, I hear the sound of rushing wind and BBBAAAMMM!!!!!!!!!!

Before I know it, I am hit so hard from behind that my fangs rattle in my head! My uncontrolled momentum takes me flying into yet another wall, but this time I do not bounce off it; instead, I crash through it. I land hard inside the building. It takes me a few seconds to collect my thoughts and scramble up on all fours. Unable to believe that Trash could have recovered that soon, let alone hit me that hard, I shake my head. It is not until I look back out through the hole I just created that I realize this last blow was not administered by Trash.

What I see is something out of a storybook. It is a man, nearly seven feet tall with gorgeous muscles visible over every inch of his body. He is garbed in armor that, even in this darkness, reflects every stray ray of light. His face is obscured by what I assume is a featureless mask of some wondrous metal, and crowning his head is a topknot of ebony hair that falls down to join the rest of his impressive mane. However, his most striking feature is the large pair of wings that sprout from his back! He looks all the world like a warrior angel!

Then I hear his melodious voice. His commanding tone leaves no question that he is a being that is accustomed to being heard and obeyed. "I know what thou art, creature, and, after this night, thou shalt no longer assault the innocent youth of this city."

I struggle to my feet. Innocent youth? Who the shock is he talking about? I clearly need to explain myself. "Now, wait just a shocking minute! Who do you think you are to make assumptions without any facts?"

His wings unfurl, and with a single stroke he rises slowly from the ground. He holds his right fist upwards so that I can plainly see his forearm. Suddenly I am blinded. In a flash of brilliant illumination, his right hand is replaced by a 3 foot sword of light! It is only then that he speaks. "I am justice; I am the arm of punishment; and I am the protector of innocents. Tonight, I am your doom."

How I saw the attack coming, I do not know, for it came faster that any I had ever seen before. The sword of light began to plunge toward my dead heart, and I begin to spin, unsure of what to expect. As I have said before, few physical attacks can harm a vampire, but this creature frightens me. The thrust misses, but even before it is done, he changes it into a back-handed swipe that cuts through my leg.

"AAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

It is several seconds before I realize that the scream came from my own throat! You see, I have been a shadow-walker for nearly a year now, and, in all that time, I have NEVER been hurt by anything. However, as this angelic weapon barely nicks me, my vampiric blood feels as if it is boiling in my body. I nearly black out but force myself to stay conscious, for to lose it now would spell the end of my brief un-life.

I do the only thing I can think of; as the blade again comes at me, I transform my body and feel my form dissolve into mist. I admit it is a cowardly way to battle a foe, but any trick is legal in love and war. What I did not expect is for the blade to cut me anyway! To be sure, although the pain is not as intense as when I was material, it still hurt! As the angel lets out a frustrated grunt, I send my mist form out through a crack in the wall of the building to the street outside. Once there, I take a moment to reform my material body and further change it. I now know all too well that I will not survive a battle with that creature. Accordingly, I grow a pair of bat-like wings from my shoulders, their leathery webbing providing a sort of antithesis to the pair possessed by my angelic foe.

I beat my wings hard and take flight only a bare instant before the angel breaks down the wall separating us. I am pelted by spraying debris and need only hear the great wings pump once behind my own to know that he is in pursuit.

Now, please understand, I am no slouch in flight. In fact, I can and have attained speeds near 90 miles per hour. Notwithstanding, I am nearly knocked out of the sky by the wind-force of the angel as he flies past me. I daresay he could easily reach escape the velocity of earth's atmosphere, assuming he could survive out there. It is not, however, the shearing air forces that endanger my "life," but the blade that cuts into my shoulder before I can properly dodge.

I see the trail of light that is his sword shoot into the air and begin to circle around for another pass. I am really beginning to get scared. I could not best him on the ground, and it seems as if the air is a second home to him.

In a near panic, I desperately begin to look around for any means of escape, and my gaze catches sight of a beckoning manhole. There it is, potential salvation! I dive for it. The angel increases his speed to intercept me, but I reach the circle of metal and quickly dissolve into a mist to enter the sewer system below. Pausing not a second, the angel immediately tears into the manhole, and it crumbles to bits under the force of the blow. No matter, since by then I am fleeing down a maze of very narrow and very small sewage pipes. I almost sigh in relief, because I know that even he cannot follow me here.

Unfortunately, barely a second later, my newly won relaxation is jarred by an arm connected to a sword crashing in through the top of the pipe directly before me! Shock this guy! Why won't he just let me go? I quickly maneuver around the arm and hurry down the pipe. Twice more the angel attempts this tactic, and both times he misses... but just barely.

For long moments, nothing happens. I almost dare to believe that he has given up the chase. But then I hear the chanting. It grows louder and stronger, and the air begins to crackle with energy. I know it is the angel but do not know what to expect.

The next thing to happen is that I hear all the air suddenly vanish from the tunnel. Although this does not affect me, you can imagine that it is an eerie experience, to say the least. I nervously assume my solid form and wait, an interval that only lasts about a second, and then down the tunnel comes a great fireball that begins to consume all in its path. Rats squeal pathetically as they die, and I have only time to say one thing.

"Shock."

Where the flame came from, I do not know. It should be noted that flame normally cannot incapacitate me for any great length of time, as I can quickly repair such damage. In such a confined space, however, the sheer force created when methane gas meets flame makes the sewers a great cannon... and me its unwary ammunition. As a result, I am blasted down the pipe and hurled through the ground with such force that much of my clothing is torn away.

I land a couple of blocks away and notice several small, isolated fires generated by the explosion. Since I do not feel hurt, I proceed to roll over and appraise the damage. I am disturbed to find that my vampiric healing factor is having little effect on the wounds caused by the angel's sword. Pausing a flash, I look down at material body. Except for the fact that I am being pursued by an indestructible entity, and that my clothes have been blown off, I seem to be in pretty good shape.

That is when I hear the coughing. I look for the source and see the building into which Trinity disappeared earlier ablaze with hungry flames. Furthermore, I see the child himself crumpled beneath a massive overhang, one that is about to burn through and fall upon him. A circumstance that would kill him instantly.

"VAMPIRE!!!"

The sound of that voice fills me with dread, because it is the angel. I see him marching steadily toward me with his sword still brilliant in the darkness. In the distance, I can hear the sounds of fire-response sirens on the way to Screamtown.

I have a decision to make, and I make it. I get up and begin to run for the burning building, even as I hear the great wings beat behind me. I reach the building just as the angel bars my way. I strike him with all I have. At the same instant, he runs me through and then stumbles back. The sword comes free, but the damage is done. I nearly trip as my blood boils inside, but I won't let Trinity die. I take one step, then two, and, as the overhang falls, I stand over Trinity, and it crashes into me. I am strong, but not that strong, and it knocks me to one knee; I can barely keep it from crushing us both. Inch by inch, the slab moves down, and my powers weaken with every second. I have failed.

Suddenly, the weight proves too much. In the end, I can only use my own damaged body to shield the boy. But, even as I collapse, a hand reaches in and snatches Trinity out of harm's way. As I fall, I see that it belongs to a woman dressed in the uniform much like that worn by Sister Lucia, i.e. the habit of a Catholic nun. Her voice rings out. "I have the boy, Archie!" Then two great hands grasp the slab under which I am pinned and lift it away. It is the angel, his sword no longer present. Obviously straining, he speaks. "GET... *uh*... THEE... OUT!" I do.

As I crawl free from under my would-be prison, I do not let on that I could have turned to mist had Trinity not needed me. I slowly stand and face the angel, who looks from Trinity's unconscious form back to me.

"I have misjudged thee this day," says the angel, as he walks up and gently takes my hand. I nearly melt. "I have done thee a great disservice. But I shalt spend eternity, if such is required, to show thee my regret. Go in peace, noble creature, the sun will rise soon."

I glance at the eastern sky and see that he is correct. The sun is only moments from rising, and I will soon need shelter. I nod at him, amazed by his sudden change of personality. A fearsome opponent and a loving ally. He is indeed a collection of ironies. I step back and speak one last time. "My name is Lachryma."

As he looks to the nun standing nearby and then back again at me, I think I hear a chuckle. "My name is Omen."

I smile and turn. As I leave, I give one last look over my shoulder and wave; then I sprint away to outrun the sunlight. As I said, the night is mine.

NEXT ISSUE: The return of DARK ANGEL 2099! And the Fall of ARCHANGEL! I mean it! Be here as the plots of Omen's greatest foe comes to fruition!



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