ANGEL'S LANDING | BL

CHAPTER 31 | WELCOME TO UNIT K

Axel was silent as he led Rae lead him out of the hall where the summit was currently taking place. The hangel had a lot on his mind. He understood the colonel's disagreement with Hendry having control over him, but he also wanted to do whatever he could to end the war. That is why he spent so many months training and growing stronger. If joining Hendry could defeat the demons, Axel was not opposed to allowing himself to be used by those at the summit.

It would also keep Rae from experiencing repercussions. And Kilo and Castyr would be released. And Unit R could rest and recover. So, as Rae led Axel into the courtyard located between the embassy and the hotel where Rae and Unit R were staying, Axel slowed to a stop and voiced, "Colonel..."

Feeling Axel tugging on his hand gently and hearing his name, Rae came to a standstill and turned to face the hangel. Several emotions filled Axel's silver eyes as he gazed at the colonel. "Let me go back..."

Rae shook his head softly as he responded, "I can't. They don't care whether you live or die. They'll use you until there's nothing left to gain from you."

Axel smiled at his colonel bittersweetly. "But I can't do nothing," he said in a low voice before turning his gaze to the pavement beneath him. "I want to help. I want desperately for the war to end."

"And I want for you to live," Rae responded sharply, causing Axel to look back up at him. Keeping his grasp around Axel's hand, Rae pulled the hangel toward him until the two were a breath away. Rae's gaze suddenly turned hard with pain as he explained, "You have no idea how many angels have died under Hendry's command. He may be a highly decorated officer who has great results from battle, but he is also a man who will use whomever and whatever to achieve his goals."

Sensing the depth of emotions Rae felt toward the grand colonel, Axel could guess that his colonel had lost several comrades due to Hendry's orders. He did not wish to step on Rae's expression of concern for him, so Axel remained silent as he and the colonel continued to make eye contact.

The longer Axel gazed into Rae's cool, blue eyes, the more emotions he saw swirling within the colonel's beautiful orbs. He had seen these emotions twice before. Once when Rae had set Axel in the rover while Nature's Preserve was under attack, and once when Rae had caught Axel in his arms when he saved the hangel from the rabid demons back in Harlim.

Axel had never seen the colonel look at anyone else the way he was currently gazing at him. Besides the times Rae looked at Axel with these swirling emotions, the colonel had always maintained a distant and poised demeanor. Realizing the repetitive gazes from the colonel, Axel began to wonder about the reason behind Rae's concern for him.

"Colonel..." Axel found himself voicing Rae's title before inquiring about the depth of the colonel's gaze, "Do I-"

However, before Axel could finish his question, the sounds of several footsteps running toward him and Rae caused the hangel to look to his left where he saw Hendry approaching them with several angelic soldiers behind him. Upon the arrival of the grand colonel, Rae brought Axel to stand behind him.

"Rae, I must say, your respect for order in the heavens has diminished. You are extremely close to being charged with obstruction, Colonel," Hendry said as he came to stand before the two men. Rae narrowed his eyes at Hendry's remark, but he did not refute it. Instead, he restated what he had told Hendry three months prior, "Axel is a member of Unit R. You have no authority over him."

"That would be the case if he was a normal hangel." Hendry raised a brow in agreement with Rae. "But he is the key to Angel's Landing, and this is much bigger than what your authority can handle, Colonel. The summit has made its decision, and the Heavens have agreed: the hangel shall be transferred to Unit K and will be under my command. Unit K shall take charge in the fight against Hades and will restore peace to the universe."