INT. FREIGHT NIGHT FAIRGROUNDS - NIGHT. OCTOBER 31, 2025, 11:40 P.M
Gabriel saw Captain Drake's face, the stress lines growing, his chin clenched, his head roaming around at the destruction that had taken place. Gabriel hesitated to do anything, worried about how his actions could be perceived. Yes, they won the battle, but at what cost? The skies were red, reflecting the amount of blood and loss of human lives on this faithful night. Maybe there were things he could've done better, maybe more information he could've gathered, and yet he's standing here looking around at a loss. Even from the entrance they were standing, you could still smoke in the air, signs hanging loose. Having already been checked over by the ambulance (though they would like for the trio to go to the hospital), because of his healing they were mostly unharmed. Maybe a little tired but unharmed.
Gabriel watched Blake approach the Captain and started talking, albeit in a very angry fashion. Blake felt a bump to his hip, glancing down, he noticed Nadia looking up at him. "You're doing that face of gloom again", She accused, hands on her hips as she glared up at Gabriel.
Gabriel's shoulders slumped down, his expression ridden with guilt. "I feel responsible, as if all the deaths are in my hands." He admitted, looking at his hands as he opened and closed them. "I wonder if we decided not to come here, the demon and that kaiju skeleton would've attacked here."
He was shocked by the sudden movement when she looked him in the eye.
Gabriel nodded, but didn't look too convinced by her words. "Let's go talk with the captain and see if there are any survivors from the cops we brought with us, he said, doing his best to change the subject. Gabriel gently removed his hands from Nadia's grasp, though her face looked reluctant to move. He quickly stepped around her, making his way over to Blake. He heard Nadia grumbling as she followed behind. He chuckled to himself under his breath, no matter the circumstances Nadia will always be Nadia.
As he quickly approached Blake and Captain Drake, Gabriel couldn't help but overhear the conversation they were having. "You're royally fucked up this time, we don't even if we have any survivors out of the group of cops you brought with you guys!"He heard Captain Drake say angrily too Blake.
"We were unprepared that this new set of demons could summon other monsters", Blake replied, his tone sounding drained.
Gabriel watched as Captain Drake got closer into Blake's face. "You lost your edge, I don't know what the fuck that mission years ago did to you, but look at what you caused!", he growled, taking a pause, his breath coming in heavily.
Gabriel seeing the look on Blake's face quickly interrupted the heated conversation. "Some of the blame could be on Nadia, and us as well sir."
Captain Drake shook his head, "No, it's my fault for thinking you three could handle something of this caliber."
"Sir, with all do respect I've never fought a creature like that skeleton before, especially something that had the ability to turn invisible.", Gabriel admitted.
Blake placed his hand on Gabriel's shoulder, shaking his head at him to stay quiet. "Don't explain yourself Rook, while Drake was in his cushy office doing whatever we had to risk our lives. He can blame us all he wants but at the end of the day it wasn't us that failed. It was our illustrious captain who didn't give us the proper tools to succeed.
"I agree with Blake.", Nadia chirped up. "I know trying to keep this information from getting to the civvies is hard, but we tried our best to take care of the situation the best we could.
Captain Drake rubbed his temples tiredly, the anger quickly dropped as he looked at the people in front of him. "Listen the clean up team will be here in five minutes, just keep the normals out of the situation. And forgodsakes don't cause anymore issues."
Blake removed his hand off of Gabriel's shoulder, "Gotcha, I'll touch bases with the church leaders later", he commented
Captain Drake took one last glance around the group, and turned to walk away. Gabriel watched as he waddled as fast his legs could carry him to his car. "The good thing is only a hundred people missing, and though we have not been able to find the remains of those, we can only assume they're dead." Blake said, clapping his hands together, knocking Gabriel from his musing.
Nadia leaned her to the side, her hand underneath her neck holding it up. "That's kind of morbid, don't you think?"
Blake shrugged, "It's better than being negative about everything."
"Agreed", Gabriel added, turning away from the trio and looking back at the entrance of the park. Growing quiet as he stared, thinking how the night started off so well before turning into something so disastrous.
"Hey Rook", Blake called out, stopping Gabriel from continuing on with his runaway thoughts.
Gabriel turned his head to face, "What?", he asked.
Blake looked at him with a small smile on his face, "You did good kid."
Gabriel had a small smirk on his face, though his lips had a twinge of sadness to it. "Thanks, I'm pretty sure that is the first time you've been nice without being condescending."
"Meh, don't get used to it.", Blake replied, turning away from Nadia and Gabriel.
"WOOOOO!"Nadia jumped on Gabriel's back. "We totally kicked ass today, we should give ourselves a team name."
Gabriel just shook his head, noticing how Blake conveniently left them alone. Walking towards the two vans pulling into the parking lot. "Yeah, I don't think we need a team name."
Nadia poked Gabriel's check with her finger, "Booo! You never know how to have fun"
"Meh, what can I say, I just enjoy being boring", Gabriel joked. Walking slowly towards Blake who he saw addressing the multiple group of guys who got out of the vans.
"So Gabs, what happened to your little floating creature thingy that was following you?", Nadia questioned.
Gabriel paused for a second, trying to think on how to explain where it went. "Welp, my usual creations disappear into light particles as you know right.", He stopped talking, making sure that Nadia was keeping track. He felt Nadia nod her before he took a deep breath and continued on. "When Blake summoned his shield, whatever energy that it used called out to me, when I absorbed I made the humanoid creature that you saw. Now it just kind of sits out of sight, like I can tell it hides and it goes invisible."
Nadia sat her chin on Gabriel's shoulder, "First off with too much information, get better at doing quick answers", she chastised. Gabriel let out a groan that Nadia ignored and continued on talking. "Second, I want one too! Oh we should do something cool like Echoes!"
"Yeah Echoes", muttered Gabriel to himself.
Nadia poked Gabriel's check with her finger hard, seeming upset. "Hphm Echoes is a good name, you just don't have taste the reason you don't agree.", She argued
Gabriel just let out a small hum, not responding to her proding, finally reaching Blake once again. Gabriel saw the men salute to Blake before marching past them, moving quickly into the park. "So are those guys?"Gabriel asked, approaching Blake who was rubbing the back of his neck.
"Those are people from the Church", Blake answered though he looked uncomfortable, fidgeting from foot to foot.
Gabriel noticed this and went to comment his mouth opening before Nadia beating him to the punch. "Common Old man, what are you lying about?"
Blake looked at them with a pained expression, "I'd rather not talk about it right now, just for your own good now there is much more you need to learn about this world before stepping into."
Nadia peered over Gabriel's shoulder, sharing a look with him. "Common I thought we got rid of all the secrets and stuff man.", Gabriel committed, turning his head to look back at him.
Nadia nodded in agreement, "Yeah we're a team now so no more secrets old man."
Blake's face took on a dark expression, his head down as he thought for a moment. "A team huh", he whispered his words loud enough for Gabriel to hear though he didn't comment. Blake raised his head, looking directly at Nadia and Gabriel. "The church I've been talking about isn't like the catholic church. It's a secret organization that fights monsters around the world, in the case of this city I was one of the major members before stepping down."
"What the fuck did you just", Nadia shouted learning forward past Gabriel's shoulders. "What do you mean by a secret organization?"
Blake stroked his facial hair, "I think this is a conversation we could have at Gabriel's house later on. I think we should focus on helping to find any surviving police officers."
Nadia jumped off Gabriel's back with a look of horror on her face. "We have to see if Alex is okay, she legit only came as a favor to me.", she screamed before speeding off quickly.
Gabriel had a huge sweat drop on his face, but couldn't really fault her for caring about a friend. Gabriel casually strolled ahead with Blake on his feet.