Chapter 2

::Can you feel him? You are close.::

“You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?” Mikhail grimaced and quickened his pace.

Truth was, he did feel. Something prickled his skin, the sensation foreign and somewhat annoying. All around him loomed the ruins of New York’s once-proud skyline, threatening to topple over onto the peons below. Then he stopped and stared up at what was left of a high-rise towering above him. This was it.

“Good afternoon,” said the armed gorilla who was acting as doorman. He gave Mikhail a not-so-pleasant smirk. “Can I help you?”

“A little help would be nice right about now, Gabriel.” Mikhail heard the archangel’s chuckle in his head, then Mr. Pleasant-and-Pumped stepped to the side and pulled the door open without another word.