The Fallen: Genesis (Deadly Virtues 0.5)

“I have no things.” As Gabriel stared down the high priest, he thought, Nothing but a drive and purpose to free my brothers and bring your sect down.

Mr. Miller took pause at that, but then nodded. “Then there’s a car waiting out front.”

Gabriel followed Mr. Miller out of the office. He stopped when Father Quinn held out his hand. “It’s been a pleasure, son,” Father Quinn said through tight lips. Gabriel hesitated, years of conditioning to fear this man taking their hold. But, with a deep breath, he held out his hand and wrapped it around Father Quinn’s. The priest squeezed Gabriel’s hand in warning. Gabriel understood the message. Don’t say a thing.

“You too, Father,” he said and pulled back his arm. “It’s been a real pleasure.” He pulled back his hand, hating himself for the way his heart quickened at his defiance. Goosebumps broke out along Gabriel’s spine as he walked along the halls of Holy Innocents—once a sanctuary, now nothing but a prison. His feet faltered as he came to the main doors. He paused and looked up at the engraved wood. Not a “B” in sight. Feeling eyes on his back, Gabriel turned. Fathers Quinn, McCarthy, and Brady were watching him. A trinity of torture. Nobody left the Brethren alive. Gabriel knew they wouldn’t let this go. They had to protect their secret. They couldn’t let him go.

“Joseph?” Mr. Miller asked, pulling Gabriel’s attention.

Gabriel stepped over the threshold and into the fresh air. He winced at the daylight but hid his discomfort from Mr. Miller. As he passed the lawyer, he said, “It’s Gabriel. I go by Gabriel now.”

If Mr. Miller had questions, he didn’t ask them. “Then call me Miller. Mr. Miller makes me sound too much like my father.”

A driver waited behind the wheel of a black Bentley. Gabriel climbed in, and Miller sat beside him. Gabriel kept his face straight forward as the car pulled out onto the country road. Every move was robotic, fueled by the promise of being able to do something to help his brothers. He had no idea what. Gabriel was sheltered and knew nothing of the world. But he was a quick study, and he vowed to free them. And despite the strong faith he still held onto, belief in good and the pure intention of mankind, he would travel roads of darkness freely to get what he wanted. He would gladly sacrifice his soul to save those of his brothers.

“I got your documents from the home before you arrived,” Miller said, putting a folder into his briefcase. “We’ll go to my office first, sign the papers, then we’ll take you to your home.” Miller sighed at Gabriel’s lack of interaction, then asked, “Don’t you have any questions, Gabriel? About your grandfather? Your inheritance? This must be a lot for you.” Miller’s face shifted from frustrated to sympathetic. “Your start in life was tragic, Gabriel. Anger toward your grandfather would be understandable right now.”

“I have nothing to say.” Gabriel kept his eyes straight forward. His chest tightened when he thought of Father Quinn’s face and how pissed he had been at losing Gabriel. Gabriel dreaded what awaited the Fallen back in the dorm. The vengeance Father Quinn would enact on them in place of him.

Gabriel now had money, apparently. With money came connections. He had to hold on to that. “Did you know him well?” Gabriel finally asked.

“Your grandfather?” Miller asked. Gabriel nodded. Miller shifted on his seat. Gabriel caught the subtle uneasy movement. He wondered why that question brought with it discomfort.

“Very well. He was my closest friend.” No matter how plagued with worry Gabriel was, he couldn’t ignore another person’s pain. Turning to Miller, he said, “I’m sorry for your loss.” Miller’s face relaxed.

“Yours too,” Miller replied.

“I didn’t know him.” Gabriel looked out of the window at the treelined roads. Everything was so green. He was only used to black and gray and the ancient marked wood of the torture devices. Gabriel didn’t want to ask. He was pissed at his grandfather, but in his weakness he found himself saying, “Why didn’t he come for us sooner?”

“Us?”

Gabriel looked to Miller. “Yeah. Me and my brother. Us.”

Miller’s eyebrows drew down. “We have no record of a brother. We only managed to get your name because your grandfather found it before Holy Innocents’ system crash a few years ago. All information on the inhabitants in the home and school were lost for quite some time. When the system was fixed, all of the names and backgrounds of the children had to be re-entered by hand. The priests assured the government that the records were now up to date and complete.”

That’s how they did it, Gabriel thought. That’s how they wiped boys off the records. Why no one ever came looking for those taken to Purgatory. And who would? They were all orphans. The unloved. No one cared about any of them.