That said, please enjoy.

Chapter 1

Some dogs better hope they don’t get to heaven.

Mark awoke to the screaming alarm clock. Slapping the snooze for the second time he sat up and wondered at why he was up this cold morning while the sun seemed to be sleeping in and remembered the meeting he couldn’t miss. He jumped from bed racing to get ready. Finishing a steaming shower where he cleared the last vestiges of sleep he stepped out to dress hurriedly as the rich odor of coffee wafted from the kitchen. While straightening his tie he kissed his sweetly dozing bride before heading for the beckoning coffee.  He picked up his waiting keys and briefcase as he walked out the door and then stopped remembering to pray.

“Dear God, I’m sorry I have been in such a rush today. Please go before me and guide me in all that I do and be with my wife and little girl as I am apart from them, put a hedge of protection round about them. Amen.”

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“Attention!”

All around the ready room enormous beings that radiate light snapped to attention as He walked into the room. Head and shoulders above the rest, He shone as the sun where the others were mere planets. Thick and wild hair hung about him as mane and the air thrummed with energy in his wake. His breath was a low rhythmic thrum echoing about the room like a growl or the purr of a great cat, and then he spoke and the sound reverberated through the small room as if it were a concert hall.

“We have just received a HOP and the elite CSAS gets the call.” He pronounced it “see sas.” Around the room the unit began to quiver with excitement save a single commando who shrank from the commander.

“Now most of you have been doing this for years so I don’t need to tell you how to do your job, but today there is a new recruit. Sergeant Clip has just transferred over from CP where he proved himself quite well earning multiple commendations including one for bravery earned by taking on no less than 5 boogie demons single handed.”

Everyone turned to look at the smallest of their number with a new respect. A single BD was a vile creature of hate and fear, literally the stuff of children’s nightmares and five would pose a threat to any of them. He hadn’t said much when he walked in earlier and none would have been impressed to hear him bragging about how well he did in Child Protection, but to hear the commander commend him, well that carried weight.

“Lieutenant Dax, Sergeant Clip will be your wingman for this mission. Sergeant, do everything you are told and you won’t have a problem.”

The commander turned and left. No directions, no special orders, he just left. Sgt Clip watched as everyone waited for the door to shut before moving. “You heard the commander, get moving we’re on the deck in five,” growled Lt. Dax, each word seemed like it was spit out but no one else noticed; they had already begun to check their gear and lock everything down for entry. Clip looked at his own gear recognizing most as what he brought from CP save a single gem that had been attached to his breast plate just below the left shoulder, the crimson star of the CSAS.

“Are you gonna put it on or marry it?” The gravelly voice behind him made him start just a bit. Clip turned quickly and stood at attention, “Put it on sir”

“Well, you better get a move on, if you aren’t on deck in four you’re grounded.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Clip quickly donned his gear checking each latch as he ran to the flight deck.

The deck stretched out above the city of light where in the center the source of all light shone. Each time Clip saw stood here he couldn’t help but admire the glory of it all. The city stretched farther than even his eyes could see, sparkling as if made from a single crystal. Clip knew many buildings were a single diamond formed to the purpose but knowing and seeing were two different things and it was all he could do to look away from the citadel of light for there sat the throne emanating the shining brilliance.

Turning he saw that the rest of CSAS was assembled but also drawn to the source of radiance. Clip stepped in line then as one the unit turned to face the darkness. He had flown into the expanse almost daily for centuries but once again he had to steel his nerves against the contrast from the beauty of the metropolis of illumination. Lt Dax stepped up to address the crew.

“Alright, we’re going on HD. You know this might be a whole lotta nothin, but nobody gets distracted and everybody comes back. Sergeant Clip, you’re on my right, everyone form up.” With that Dax stepped to the edge of the platform and everyone formed a “v” behind him. Dax turned to face the crew once again and boomed “activate the gate,” then smiled as he fell backwards off the deck. Clip stepped over the edge and saw Dax laughing as he spiraled towards the opening vortex. Clip winced as Dax barely cleared the edges of the widening portal and then dark and light warred about him.

He felt the crackle of static as he passed into the pungent air of the Earth suburb. Dax was already hundreds of yards ahead but Clip was the fastest in every squad he had ever been in, he wouldn’t let it be any different in CSAS. For the first time Clip unfurled his wings in front of the new team. He hated that they were so much bigger than his size implied. He pulled them hard and fast and closed half the distance in a single stroke. Cautious not to pass the Lt Clip pulled them one more time and kept them tight as he pulled to the right flank of his commanding officer.

Dax grunted and spiraled down to the left into traffic. The vehicles were not the problem, but in rush hour traffic there was a full on battle. Guardians worked frantically to protect their charges as darklings tried to distract and cause mayhem. Dax pulled his glimmering two handed sword and darted between vehicles at full speed slashing at the lesser demons that came within his reach. Clip pulled his two short curving swords and began his fly by. Fortunately he only had to extend his wings to change speed or direction, otherwise his hug wings would be a hindrance in these close quarters. Spotting a darkling approaching the tires on an over laden semi trailer, he sniped the wings of another as he passed over head and then rolled to the right passing under the speeding 18 wheeler and surprised the small imp with his spiraling blade before quickly flicking his wings to rise back above the traffic followed by another velocity adjustment that brought him down into 3 fiends being engaged by a single guardian. He was able to take one with each of his blades as he passed through following Dax who had veered from the highway.

Seconds later Dax opened his wings catching both light and air coasting to a soft landing in the middle of a suburban block. Clip landed immediately behind and to the right, light as the feathers on his wings. Dax used quick hand signals to indicate where each warrior should take position and then turned to Clip to whisper, “Be the bush,” as he touched his emblem and stepped into a nearby shrub.

Clip touched his gem and stepped into another plant but felt conspicuously un-hedge like. He thought over and over again, “be the bush,” yet nothing changed. He concentrated for an hour straight before he sat and trying to imagine branches sprouting from him instead of wings and still saw only himself. As he was ready to give up a dog walked along and sniffed at him, then hiked its leg. It seemed the shrub to his left shuddered with suppressed laughter as he sat rooted in place. The breeze carried a low growling voice, “welcome to CSAS.”

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