A.C.E Angels

Prologue

It’s three o’clock on a typical Friday afternoon. Anjelica Stone was making her usual every-day journey to the office at the Heaven’s Agency Bureau, to find out her next case. She clip-clopped down the people-packed street feeling fresh and ready. No-one suspects she’s different from the rest, which proves that her position at the Bureau is definite.

The Bureau is a secret organisation for Angels; Anjelica being one of the top agents. Devlins think of every method possible to kidnap sacred agents to try and steal their power. Anjelica has dealt with lots of ‘new-comer’ cases before. The one she may get today might not be any different.When younggirls and boysreach a certain age, they can possess the power and grow their wings, but only if Fate chooses. Most Earth-folk have no idea that real Angels exist, it’s because Fate never chose them to become Angels.

Smartly dressed in a white chiffon blouse, navy jacket and matching pencil skirt, Anjelica entered her office building which was so familiar to her: Shining bronze marble floor, stone columns near the stairs, the reception desk a few yards away and the cafe down the hall.

She approached the reception desk and smiled at theman she recognised so well. He smiled back and nodded in approval before reaching for a telephone. Anjelica paused waiting for the receptionist’s response. Not long after, he put the phone down and nodded at Anjelica. She knew that was the response she would get - no words, just a nod - and continued down the wide hallway, past the cafe and many office doors. The receptionist had hurried to follow Anjelica and caught up just in time.

"Good afternoon, Miss Stone." he greeted.

Anjelica almost laughed "’Miss Stone?’ Why the formal greeting today, Tom?"

Tom gazed down at his feet and burst a laugh of nervousness before typing a code into the door. "It felt like the best thing to say,"

The code was accepted and the doors divided open and Anjelica entered the elevator.

"If you’re trying to flirt with me, Tom, remember I do have a boyfriend." Anjelica explained.

Tom laughed. "Have a good day, Anj."

"You too."

The elevator doors closed and Tom walked back to his desk.

Anjelica sighed delightfully when the elevator doors opened to her office floor. The scent of printer ink and book paper filled the air. She glided to her desk and everything had been left to how it was the previous day. Her computer untouched, the photo of her and her boyfriend in the silver frame by the telephone and the drawer with all her organised files in perfect condition.

She placed her bag on an empty space on her desk, hooked her jacket on the back of her desk chair and sat down.

Practically two minutes after she sat down, her assistant, Marcie, came rushing with a mixed expression of nervousness and panic on her face towards Anjelica’s desk. Anjelica frowned sympathetically at the fair blonde, rosy cheeked girl who was clutching a brown paper file in her shaky hands.

"I have your case file, Anjelica." Marcie informed shakily.

"Thank-you, Marcie." Anjelica took the folder from her and stared at it. She could see Marcie was still stood where she was from the corner of her eye. "Is there something you want to say, Marcie?"

"No, no, that’s all, do you need anything from me at all?"

Anjelica spoke calmly, "No, thank-you, everything is fine."

Marcie nodded and rushed away.

Anjelica took a deep breath and opened the case file. Inside was a piece of paper with a photo clipped on the corner.

Hannah Wing, Anjelica muttered to herself. Why does she look so familiar?

The question slipped her mind when a navy suited man swung by her desk with a Starbucks coffee cup in his hand. He’d placed it on her desk and stayed there.

"Hannah Wing? That’s a tough-y." He commented.

Anjelica folded it quickly and put it under her computer keyboard. "Don’t you know it’s rude to read overa person'sshoulder?"

The man rolled his eyes. "Calm down, Anj. Here, I’ve brought you a coffee." He stared at it like it was the most wonderful thing he could think of.

"Thanks, Rich."

Rich smiled self-satisfactory when he watched Anjelica take a sip of the coffee.

"Oh, Rich - you know me so well!" Anjelica commented with slight sarcasm.

"I know, I knew you’d like it." Rich took a seat on the desk table. He leaned towards Anjelica and spoke in a soft whisper. "So, everyone has been informed on our new case, you’re pretty much the last person to know. I understand you’ve just arrived for your shift, but The Boss-man is holding a meeting in about an hour to discuss what we are going to do to help her - Hannah Wing, I mean - because she is a tough case."

Anjelica frowned. "Why so?"

"You’ll find out in an hour, but for now - I suggest you start reading." Rich jumped off the desk and began to walk away.

"Rich!" Anjelica called after she retrieved the case file from under the keyboard.

Rich whipped around like a hurricane. "Yeah?"

"Why didn’t you tell me this earlier today?"

"Wasn’t allowed to, Anj, sorry." he was walking backwards as he was speaking and when he was finished, he turned around and headed towards his desk.

Anjelica sighed and stared at the photo of her and Rich together and then she re-opened the case file and began reading all of Hannah Wing’s records.

I’m sure I’ll find out why I recognise this girl - I know her, I think.