Lucifer's Angel: Tough Girl

At last, the family gathers. It's Sunday night in the City of Ajax, Ontario. I sit at the table, glaring at my relatives. Everybody's here. Uncle Arthur Menard sits next to his wife, Deirdre. He's a tall, bespectacled Black man in his early fifties. A scion of Ontario politics. Representing the town of Ajax in the Toronto City Councillors Office. In his spare time, he's an okay lawyer and a wonderful family man. My dear aunt Deirdre Winston Menard sits next to him, clad in her Sunday best. A modest red dress. Five-foot-eight and around one hundred and twenty pounds to her hubby's six-foot-five and 250-pounds, she's nevertheless an outspoken Black woman with a loud voice. To the outside world, she's a secretary with the Ontario Ministry of Corrections and a deaconess at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Southern Toronto. They're presiding over tonight's proceedings, specifically to decide my Fate.

My name is Caroline Menard. I was born and raised in the City of Atlanta, Georgia. My father Eric Menard is Haitian-American, and my mother Esther O'Connell is of Irish descent. Mom's originally from the City of Boston, Massachusetts. I lived with my family in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia for most of my life. We were just a regular family. My father taught mathematics at Morehouse College. And my mother worked as a firefighter. Life was okay, I guess, until I turned fifteen. That's when everything went wrong. My parents died in a fiery plane crash. And I was taken in by my father's older brother, dear uncle Arthur Menard. They brought me to Canada with them. My parents death affected me more than you can imagine. I felt like I lost everything that mattered to me in this world. Not only that, but I found out there was a lot my parents had been hiding from me. Such as the truth of who and what they were.

Apparently, my father's real name was Michael. He was a Fallen Archangel who walked away from Heaven to be with my mother, a mortal woman. Yeah, I know. It surprised the hell out of me too when I first heard it. According to my uncle, Angels fall all the time. They can be male or female, Black or White, pretty much anyone you can think of. They tend to be quite tall and attractive, that's one way to tell them apart from ordinary mortals. Even when they live on the planet Earth, they still possess certain special abilities such as superhuman strength and speed, shape-shifting, and the ability to heal quickly from injuries that would kill any human. Just like regular Angels in Heaven, Fallen Angels don't age like humans do. Unfortunately, all Angels who fall out of Heaven lose their True Immortality. Meaning that even though they're exceptionally tough, never grow old and can do all kinds of really cool stuff, they can still die if they suffer enough physical trauma. The fiery plane crashed killed my father alongside my mom. He paid the ultimate price for loving my mother and me, making him a hero to the Cause of the Fallen Angels. That so does not make me feel any better. If anything, that makes it even more tragic in my eyes. I live in a world where Angels can die, and even special people aren't immune to tragedy. It sucks ass!

My uncle Arthur Menard is also a Fallen Angel. He was once known as the Angel Mahel. He used to serve in the Order of the Seraphim, under the command of my father the Archangel. Although they're not biologically related, they fell out of the Kingdom of Heaven for the same reason. The love of mortal women. Well, the love of mortal women and whatever category my aunt Deirdre falls into. For you see, my aunt Deirdre is a Werewolf. Yep, one of the Lycanthropes of legend. She can transform into a wolf-like creature of superhuman strength and speed at will. I don't know if she falls into the category of mortal or immortal. Aunt Deirdre and I haven't always gotten along but we've begun a grudging friendship a while back. Thanks largely to her efforts, I hold dual American/Canadian citizenship. It's cool to be half and half, I guess. I've felt half and half my whole life. I'm American and Canadian. I'm half Black and half White. And I'm also caught somewhere between human and inhuman, mortal and Immortal. Just between you and me, I'm not crazy about being a walking contradiction in the cosmos but I'm learning to deal.

Six years after the death of my parents, I'm doing alright. I'm studying business administration at Georgia State University in the town of Atlanta, Georgia. I initially began studying accounting at the University of Toronto but I really missed Atlanta, the City of my birth. So I opted to study there for a year. Toronto is a short plane ride away from Atlanta anyway. I thought I finally had a grip on my life. I made really cool friends at the University of Georgia. Awesome people like my friend Cheryl Quentin, a cute Black gal born and raised in the suburb of Buckhead. She attends Spelman College and her older brother Jeremiah attends Morehouse College, the school where my father once taught. I really like Jeremiah. He's six feet two inches tall, broad-shouldered and handsome. There are a lot of handsome African-American guys at Colleges and Universities across the State of Georgia but Jeremiah Quentin stands apart. He's really hot! On top of that, he is the starting quarterback of the Morehouse College men's varsity football team and also one of the brightest pupils in the civil engineering program at his school.

Jeremiah Quentin and I were starting to date, with his sister Cheryl's blessing of course. I was doing well in my classes at the University of Georgia. Life finally made sense again. Of course, I missed my uncle and aunt in Toronto but I was really enjoying my life in Atlanta. Of course, my peace of mind didn't last. That's when a lot of weird stuff started happening. A bunch of guys attacked me during a Rush Party one night, and I beat them all to a bloody pulp. I'm only five-foot-nine by one hundred and thirty and yet I was tossing guys twice my size around like beach balls. It turns out these guys were sent by a Fallen Angel named Todd McKean. Apparently, he was an old enemy of my father's and he wanted to test my abilities. I was shocked to discover that I was wickedly strong. I called my uncle and we had a long talk about it. He asked me to come back to Toronto right away. I told him I was staying in Atlanta. I made friends there. I never really fit in while in Toronto! Even in Canada's most diverse town, I was too...American!

I stayed in Atlanta, determined to lead a normal life. That became increasingly difficult as more and more abilities manifested themselves in me. I was approached by Todd McKean while on campus. He's a tall, decent-looking, forty-something white guy with red hair and green eyes. He's the former Chief of Police in Atlanta and the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Georgia by the way. In the eyes of the world, he's a family man and respected member of the community. A graduate of Georgia State University's Criminal Justice program. A twenty-year veteran of the Atlanta Metro Police Department. Devoted husband to Myra Chang Lee and father to Andrea and Michael McKean. Among Fallen Angels, he's known by another name. Lucifer Morningstar. The original Fallen Angel. Once, he was the most powerful of God's Angels. Until he rebelled because God loved humans too much and made Angels play second fiddle while spreading His affections to the denizens of the Earth. Lucifer Morningstar lives and breathes among us ordinary people. And he's still mad over the fact that my father was the Archangel who defeated him when he tried to conquer the Kingdom of Heaven with his Dark Angels.

The first time I laid eyes on Todd McKean/Lucifer, I felt supremely uncomfortable. It was like looking at the sun. Other people saw him as an ordinary white guy in a business suit. To my enhanced perceptions, he was much more than that. The Fallen Angel of Light. The strongest of all Fallen Angels. According to my uncle, Fallen Angels are limited in their power. They have super strength, sharp senses, super speed, accelerated healing and they don't age. Well, I've seen Todd McKean do some pretty terrifying things. He can read minds if he's close enough. He can also summon fire and lightning, and use them as devastating weapons against his enemies. He can heal with a simple touch and bestow deadly diseases upon unwary people with the same gesture. Oh, and he can walk through walls and teleport anywhere. The guy is a walking powerhouse! And he sees me as a threat. He's all but admitted to being the force behind the death of my parents. For this, I hate him and I want to kill him. He's warned me to stay the hell away from him otherwise he will destroy everything and everyone I hold dear.

I returned to Toronto to train with my uncle Arthur. I asked him to teach me everything I needed to know in order to defeat Lucifer Morningstar. The Fallen Angel destined to bring about the end of the world. For you see, in his guise as Todd McKean, Lucifer covets the Office of the President of the United States of America. He's going to get rid of the Governor of Georgia, become the new Governor and eventually run for President. With all of the powers at his disposal, he will most likely win. And once he's got ultimate power both supernatural and socio-political, he's going to destroy humanity. Unless I can stop him. To say that uncle Arthur's training was rigorous doesn't do it justice. It was pure hell. He taught me how to control my powers. I discovered that I could walk through walls by becoming intangible, and also move objects with my mind. A power called telekinesis. Yeah, I can do all kinds of stuff. I control my telekinetic powers to such a great extent that I can levitate and even fly at times. After all, I can control objects with my mind and make them move and my body is but an object at the end of the day.

That special training took nearly the whole summer of my first year at Georgia State University. I returned to Atlanta a changed woman. I had a renewed sense of responsibility. Stopping Todd McKean/Lucifer Morningstar wasn't just about my revenge for my parents deaths but about saving the whole world. I was happy to find out that Jeremiah still cared for me even though I'd been pretty flaky with him since my powers first manifested themselves. I thought about revealing the truth of my heritage and abilities to him but figured it would just expose him to danger. Instead, I sought to remove the threats to my family and friends. Namely the Fallen Angels who did Todd McKean's bidding. I began identifying them fairly easily now that I had my powers at full throttle. I took out Dana McCoy, once known as the Fallen Angel Azazel. Masquerading as a tall, blonde-haired and blue-eyed corporate executive in Los Angeles, California.

I stalked her for days before finally catching her by surprise. With their sharp senses, Fallen Angels are tough as hell to sneak up on. I was intangible when I attacked Azazel/Dana. I overpowered her and burned her to a crisp. Beyond her regenerative powers ability to heal her. Azazel was one of the big shots on Wall Street and one of Todd McKean/Lucifer's closest allies. Her death was a severe blow to his forces. He began gunning down for me with everything he had. Lucifer sent his henchman Asmodeus after me. Asmodeus was a tall, dark-skinned African-American guy built like an NFL player. In the eyes of the world he was Hank Henderson, NFL legend, multimillionaire businessman and the current President of Suffolk County Community College in New York. He was once one of Heaven's toughest Warriors, until he left it to follow Lucifer's folly. He was a tough sun of a gun. He nearly ripped my head off and left me deaf in one ear. I learned that even though I can regenerate, when wounded by a Fallen Angel, my healing powers are effectively negated. I killed Asmodeus by driving a steel pike through his heart and hurling him into acid before his regenerative powers could kick in. The loss of two of his strongest allies greatly angered Lucifer. And in retaliation, he sent a Fallen Angel to kill Cheryl, my boyfriend Jeremiah's sister and the young Black woman whom I considered a sister.

Cheryl Quentin's death was a terrible blow to me. I had grown to care for her like a sister over the two years we knew each other. His sister's death drove Jeremiah away from me, and into a deep depression. He got into an accident and ended up in a coma. I brought my uncle Arthur to heal him and even then, he was never the same. We no longer talk. Even though he doesn't know what's going on with me, he blames me for his sister's death. He was in bed with me when she died. They previously had plans to attend a festival together but he canceled those plans to be with me that fateful day when Cheryl died. My world had come crashing down for the second time in my life. I had nothing keeping me in Atlanta. The man I loved wanted nothing to do with me. The young woman I considered my sister died because of me. It seemed that death followed me everywhere. There was nothing left for me in Atlanta. My grades slipped at the University of Georgia until I flunked out. I thought about returning to the University of Toronto but instead I stayed. I vowed eternal vengeance against Lucifer and his minions. In the meantime, Todd McKean/Lucifer made a lot of progress in his quest for ultimate power. The Governor of Georgia died of a heart attack and he became the new Governor. With his good looks, charm and wealth, he's becoming the darling of the GOP as they seek the White House in 2012.

I will stop him. One day, the newly sworn Governor of Georgia's speech at the graduating class of the State University of Georgia was rudely interrupted by a brazen young woman. Me. In front of all the reporters, the university graduates and their families...and millions of Americans ( for the graduation and the speech were broadcast live), I tried to take down the world's slickest politician. I waded into the policemen and policewomen who sought to stop me, tossing them around like beach balls. The crowd gasped in shock and marveled at my strength. I shouted that Todd McKean was the Devil incarnate, that he wanted to destroy the world. I tried to take him down but the three Fallen Angels disguised as his bodyguards overpowered me. Only my teleportation abilities saved me that day. I returned to Toronto, Ontario, in disgrace. Which is why I'm sitting with my head down before my uncle Arthur and my aunt Deirdre. I feel so ashamed. Ashamed of my recklessness. Ashamed of my failure to stop the Evil One, avenge my parents and save the world. My uncle and aunt watched me silently. Then, without a word, aunt Deirdre embraced me gently. She told me not to worry, that everything would be alright. For the first time in a decade, I broke down and cried.

As my aunt and uncle held my sobbing, pitiful body in their loving arms, a sudden white light caught our attentions. We watched as a figure emerged from the light which suddenly basked our dining room. A figure that was familiar to all three of us. It was my father. There he was, my daddy. He looked like his usual self, only he had a pair of magnificent silvery wings unfurling from his broad shoulders. He smiled at us. Uncle Arthur nodded gently as my father addressed him as the Angel Mahel, his old friend. Dad nodded courteously at aunt Deirdre, who held back tears. Finally, dad fixed his gaze upon me. He smiled at me and told me not to worry. Everything was alright. I shook my head, and tearfully told him that I had failed in my mission. I took on the Devil and lost. Dad shook his head, and told me that my struggle against the forces of evil on earth attracted the attention of the Almighty Himself. I blinked nervous.

Had I really attracted God's attention? God Himself? The Big Guy In The Sky? Dad nodded. And he told me that his True Immortality was restored after he died on Earth because although he left the Kingdom of Heaven to be with my mother and me, he never stopped loving God. That was the difference between Fallen Angels who left Heaven for a variety of reasons and the Dark Angels who served Lucifer. They hated both God and humans. For that, they were destined to lose. I looked admiringly at my father as he flexed his wings. As the Archangel Michael he was nothing short of magnificent. I asked Dad about my mother. Dad smiled and told me she was with him in Heaven. And she worried that I wasn't eating enough. I smiled at that. Sounds like mom alright. Dad suddenly looked grim. I knew that look. He had something tough to say. And he said it. Dad told me that the Fate of Humanity would be up to me. In the Biblical prophecies, it was said that the Archangel Michael would defeat Lucifer. Well, the Archangel Michael was back to boot camp in Heaven after a long sojourn as a Fallen Angel on Earth. Ending Lucifer would be up to the Archangel Michael's daughter. Me.

I blinked nervously, and looked at my uncle and aunt, then at my father. Dad told me that I wouldn't be alone in my quest. Then he handed me a sword. It was a magnificent sword. The blade was nearly four feet long and quite thick. The broadsword gleamed brightly. I noticed there were a few dark spots on the blade. Dad/The Archangel Michael told me that these spots were Lucifer's blood. Eons ago when Lucifer Morningstar sought to conquer Heaven and dethrone the Almighty, the Archangel Michael ran him through with this very sword and threw him down to Earth. I smiled. I guess kicking Devil butt runs in my family. Dad nodded. He smiled at me and at my uncle and aunt. Gently, he nodded...then vanished in a flash of bright light. I watched with tears as his light faded as he returned to the Kingdom of Heaven.

I looked at my uncle and aunt, and smiled. For the first time in ages, I felt a renewed sense of hope. The whole world is against me right now. I'm a wanted fugitive in Canada and the United States of America for the attempted assassination of the Governor of Georgia. Every cop in North America is gunning for me. There's even talk that I should be considered a terrorist in CNN. The cute gay Black guy on CNN interviewed my ex-boyfriend Jeremiah Quentin in Atlanta, asking him about what kind of person I was. Jeremiah was just beginning to put his life back together. He returned to Morehouse College, though he was no longer the starting quarterback on the football team. He defended my honor, saying that I was the best thing to ever happen to him. He blamed himself for my 'murderous meltdown', saying that his blaming me for his sister's death drove him over the edge. He had no explanation about my animosity toward the new Governor of Georgia. I smiled. That's my Jeremiah. God I love him. My good Black man. Stalwart and gallant to the end. I hope to see him again someday. Under better circumstances of course.

For now, I've got to focus on other things. Like stopping Todd McKean from becoming the next President of the United States of America. He's already bypassed Hermann Cain and Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, as a top contender to take on President Obama for the White House in 2012. His popularity is soaring overnight and the guy has barely been Governor of Georgia for a couple of months. It's eerie. The Tea Party people like him, as do conservative Democrats and even some of the Occupy Wall Street bozos because he claims to put country first and party politics second. Oh, and since he's a white guy married to an Asian-American lady and has a mixed-race son and daughter, he's seen as the GOP's answer to allegations of racism in their ranks. The guy seems perfect. A little too perfect. I must stop him. I will stop him. Next time I run into Todd McKean/Lucifer, I will run him through with the Broadsword. For I serve the Order of the Archangels of Heaven...like my father before me. And I am definitely my father's daughter!