Forsaken Angel

By D.L.B. Smith

Tobias had the life he had always been working toward--a family, a job that kept him fulfilled, and cutting edges of scientific achievement. When tragedy struck and he was betrayed by the father figure he held most dear, his world is transformed and expanded upon in the most unexpected turn of events. From earth to purgatory and even to the heights of heaven, the limits of what he held to be true are shattered as he finds himself before the great Creator himself, being offered not salvation but a deal worthy of the devil. But nothing is ever as it seems, and where one sees opportunity for absolution and justice, other darker forces seek to be release from their millennium-old binds, free to corrupt and destroy as they see fit according to their whims. Will a mere mortal be able to withstand the temptation of dark powers while saving the kingdoms of heaven and earth? Will a forsaken angel be the salvation least expected?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9781684564460

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Forsaken Angel

D.L.B. Smith

Copyright © 2019 D.L.B. Smith

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc. 2019

ISBN 978-1-68456-447-7 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68456-445-3 (Hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-68456-446-0 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Looking out upon this world, I can see why so many people give up. There is little left here worth living for, let alone saving. I drag myself through this hell of an existence to save people, majority of whom don’t even want to be saved. It is tiring, it is tedious, and it is more than a little aggravating. But that is the price I pay. That is the deal I made for vengeance. There is no place for me in heaven. It’s a curious thing, really. God will give you the vengeance you so desire, or the opportunity for it, at least, but at the same time, you sign your own condemnation if you choose to take it. At least I did because of the situation. I’ll be honest, he generally does not want to see any of us damned; however, there are some things even he cannot stop. He doesn’t look favorably upon vengeance; however, sometimes he has to give us what we want to make the world a better place. Even God sometimes has to break the rules. As a result, I can’t enter the gates of heaven, and the gates of hell don’t welcome me by any means. Considering I would not be under the sole control under its wonderful keeper, I have only my vengeance, and my end of the bargain to uphold now, but here I am getting ahead of myself. You must be quite confused to not even know who or what I am at this point. Let me recall to you, if I can, the details of my situation.

*****

Putting on his shoes, Tobias Jefferson slowly slid his body off his bed. It had been three months since his life had come shattering down in a million thin needles, like soul-piercing shards. The form of his wife, no, his former wife lying in a pool of her own blood in his mind, a constant reminder of what he was missing now. Her chest, right where the heart would be, had been an empty valley of an open chest cavity, her heart removed crudely. Nothing was there. Ten more feet behind her, his five-year-old son lay facedown, then face up in an instant—in his mind it passed as though someone else was in Tobias’s place, doing everything he did. He rolled his son over to see his youthful, perfect face. What he found was a face contorted in a way that should not be natural could not be natural. Also missing the place the literal heart sat, as Tobias’s proverbial heart sank. He knew this must be a dream. His hands were shaking and soaked in the blood of his loved ones. Everything else in the house was as perfect and in place as it always was. His hands reaching were toward Shane’s neck, his solid obsidian cross missing, quickly moving to Sarah; hers was missing also. His hands were trembling; he went to his own neck, feeling his there. Almost in disbelief, as though his should be gone too, but there it was, reminding him he was still there, and they were not. A cross he wore only because Sarah had begged him to; he was not a normal believer, even if he was a good man.

His mind snapped him back into reality as he realized he was holding his cross again. He was holding it so tight his knuckles were going white. He slowly put on his tie. Trying to keep his mind occupied on anything but the pain of the past few months. That’s why he refused to take days off for work so he could specifically keep his mind busy and occupied with the tasks at hand. This week was a special week, after all. The company he worked for, Metronomix Inc., was unveiling a new groundbreaking piece of technology, and a theory around it as well. In order to get the sponsors to go through with the open testing and not just computer simulations, they would have to sell the Board of Humanitarian Science, the Board of Science and Technology, and a number of others that it would be both safe and productive.

And what were they working on? The reconfiguration of matter at the molecular scale was their specialty—taking one material, at a micro level, and using it, altering it, to change its state to another form. A technological philosopher’s stone of sorts, with more applications than you could possibly imagine. He bent and touched the blood-stained hardwood floor of the kitchen where he first found Sarah. He touched his hand to his lips, then he tucked his cross in his shirt and grabbed his keys off the hanger and coffee off the bar. Dark with enough sugar to induce a coma to a diabetic, just perfect.

He pulled out his phone and dialed. Gregory, he spoke into the phone.

It immediately dialed the private line for the lead publicist of information for the company. The man who made everything seemed safer than something was or more productive than it possibly could be. In this business, he was the epitome of a man who could make water taste like wine and a loaf of bread seem like it could feed the masses. He worked magic with his voice, and that was exactly what he was going to be doing today. It was time to sell these ideals to both a concerned scientific public and concerned world.

Yesssss, Tobias? Why are you calling me? I thought I told you to take today off, and I’d handle everything, just like I always do.

"Don’t give me that bullshit, Greg. You know I wouldn’t miss a day like this, as a lead analyst, researcher, and tech for this, and for credibility’s sake, you need me there. And I’m going to be there. My life won’t impact my position or job at work, and it certainly will not excuse it. I’ll see you in the office in twenty. Have everything ready."

Don’t I always? The question was never answered as the all-too-new but familiar silence filled Tobias’s ears.

Tobias got into his muscle car of choice, a 2015 Mustang Shelby GT. The paint was completely done up in a solid blackish gray lacquer coat, the same grade used in the F-22s for the air force. This helped eliminate the risk of radar speed checking, although a few tickets were got based on him passing the flow of traffic and two cop cars in the meantime. There was a light overlay of electric green coating the entire car, making it look like a spark at night as he raced his way around the streets of the night as he’d found himself doing seeking spice in this new strange world to him. The car almost guided itself into the garage across from his work. He got out and handed the valet his keys, slinging his laptop bag over his shoulder. He put his phone into its holster, ready to do the dirty business of a corporate jockey on top of his prize winning gift horse of equations and algorithms.

Getting into the elevator, he turned and swiped his company badge through the reader, a panel slowly pushing out; he applied first his left hand and then right hand to the panel as direct by the cold female mechanical voice. Identification verified. Access to level requested denied. Please choose another floor, or exit the elevator.

What? he screamed out loud. He punched in a five-digit code, dialing to the floors below for manual authorization. The screen in the corner flickered on.

Tobias, said a familiar face.

Victor Kershaw slowly swayed into view, the all-too-familiar swagger ever present. His aged face slowly cracking a smile, almost fatherly in appearance. You already know that you’re on leave from your position. No matter what you—

Don’t you tell me I can’t be present for the unveiling to the world the most important technological breakthrough since God knows when, Tobias said, approaching the rising point of his anger now, all other thoughts lost. "I want to be there. I need to be there, Victor. It’s only right."

"Tobias, I’m sorry, but it’s already done. Hayashi will be the new correspondent for now. When you’re cleared to come back, both by the company counselor and me, then you can resume your work with the project. Until then, none of your clearances will be allowing you to enter the facility, and all your access throughout internal systems will be severely limited. So take the time to actually relax, and get your head straight. Good day, Tobias, and good luck. I’m a phone call away."

Before he could rebuttal, the screen flickered off, and the doors remained open, letting him know that there was only one way to go, back to his car. He slammed his fist into the metal, making some unintelligible grunts as he went. He scuffled his feet and made his way to his parked car. He got in, quickly slammed the door, and buckled himself in. He peeled away from the spot, driving sporadically to the rendezvous point for the press meeting, 500 S Franklin Saint Syracuse, New York. The Museum of Science and Technology was his destination. They were going to be using the IMAX as their presentation room.

As he arrived, he quickly got in, showing his badge for the company as all access was restricted except to certain members of the press, various prestigious organizations, and to company members themselves. He quickly navigated the hallways to the IMAX theater and took a place among the reporters and such. He was fidgeting nervously, his hands clammy and his body trembling in anticipation. His fight-or-flight instincts were kicking in, making him want to urinate on the spot. Three minutes to show time showed on a portion of the IMAX screen.

As everyone was finishing their conversations and getting settled in, onto the stage Gregory Malchavic strode, smiling at the crowd. His solid lean frame approaching the front, and as he did, he adjusted his glasses before addressing the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, he started, a small laser clicker in his hand, we are gathered here today in an institute that represents the very reason we have called you all together. Metronomix Inc. has been an underground leader in many technological breakthroughs and advances in the modern day, primarily in the field of laser advancement and practical application. Everything from the simple garage door opener with keyed-in signals and fingerprint technology for the remote-operation key chain, to the new security measures instituted by the Pentagon and the United States government. We bring quality, practicality, and reason behind all our products, and what we are going to introduce you to today will be no different. Today marks our step of converging multiple aspects of science into one. Material science and chemistry mixed with advanced optics and laser technology. All being tied together to create a new series of breakthroughs for the future world.

As the introduction of the company rolled on, Tobias stretched his legs, not sure what he was doing there, trying to keep his head covered; in a room of only fifty, it would not be hard for a coworker to identify him in a crowd. He zoned out some, trying to focus on what he was doing, which he didn’t even know. He tried to stay calm and keep himself from getting up and running out, concentrating again as the introduction started to come to a close as Gregory introduced Victor to the media.

Victor slowly walked across the stage, his sixty-three-year-old frame still well kept up. He was still using his ivory-encrusted cane with a mechanical reverse spider as a cane topper. It adjusted its pressure on his hand, gripping his hand as he squeezed it to make sure he didn’t lose his hold on it and fall.

Comrades gathered here today, let us all be in awe as Mr. Kawaguchi Hayashi brings up a computer-simulated image of what we are describing to you today. The replication of everything from household objects, to complex structures, to, yes, even food will be within reach of us soon, and this will show you how. If you notice for the demonstration, we are simply recreating a standard fork. Now for all the technical data, and terminology, I’ll ask that you refer to the guides provided at your time of entry. I’m not quite the IT and tech guru to be explaining it all, so I’ll leave that to you, the scientists, to interpret.

There was a brief pause for the room to chuckle, controlling the mood.

What we’ve done is taken the laser, and instead of using it as a cutting tool or data transfer tool, we’ve used it as a combination of splicing, analyzing, recombining, and administering tool. We are taking millions of nanites and running it along the course of the beam to the base object. If you notice, a small portion, about half centimeter of the bottom of the fork has been what appears to be disintegrated. What we’ve done is released the first set of programmed nanites into it, to devour, analyze, and send data transmitted to the second stream of nanites about the composition of the object on the molecular level and down to some aspects of the quantum. And for those of us who are a bit less savvy with what that means, it translates to the first set sending a diagram of the objects material on the smallest level to the second set to go about fusing the ingredients together. The lifespan of the first nanites is literally milliseconds after leaving the protective shell of the beam. The second stream’s job is to swarm over and make a map after dispersing the material composition data to the creation nanites.

The IMAX screen panned to a close view at an almost molecular level as you would see tiny objects making their way across the fork, completely covering the object.

The map is made based on what the previous gave as parameters of what the object is made out of, and where the limitation of the object are, so you have no mistakes regarding the surrounding environment. Giving a correct blueprint for the third wave of the nanites is the second wave’s final task. If you pay close attention, you will see the laser moving slowly to the left of the original fork. It leaves no damage in its wake other than the initial sample of material taken. The third nanite set is also sent the parameters of what the object was made of and the map of the object. Using a complex system we call near instantaneous molecular development, for from here on out noted as NIMD. What it creates is a synthetic version of the previous material’s genetic or molecular code that has been mapped out and ready for recreation. This is the portion that I can’t tell you about as it’s both proprietary and well beyond my own comprehension. This is the portion of the process that takes the longest, as each nanite has to start creating its own individualized source of the material from a collection of molecules and atoms that are stored in a super-cooled containment field. As these are slowly released onto the surface of the tabletop, you will notice a distinct pattern starting from the outside and moving to the inside of the table creating a thin layer at the bottom of the table, much like a 3-D printer creates an outline. As they release their small amount of material in the designated place, they move off and release an enzyme that will disintegrate and disperse them into the air, removing them from the equation, and of course harmless to the environment. As you can see, this process continues layer by layer.

He pressed a button on the pointer, and the screen sped up.

Until the final product is here, as you can see, completely replicated, from nothing but the smallest samples of the base object, and an outline of the objects structure. The larger the object, obviously the larger bank of materials that are needed. However, for now we’re satisfied with a fork. Thank you.

With that he pulled out two forks, one of them obviously the base object, the other the newly created one. He slowly handed them down to a man to pass around the crowd.

"Now, yes, it took about a month of real time to make this simplistic item, but think of the applications of this. We could recreate a fuel source, build our great nations defense items, or even stop famine. This, of course, does not happen overnight. However, it is no less profound. This tool, both singularly and completely, is the most important discovery and scientific breakthrough the world has ever