It’s an official bloody reception committee, Mid-Master Guardian Director Terry Thorne thought as he stood beside his boss Paul, other high level Masters and the entire rank and file from four celestial divisions. They were all polished and gleaming, lined up like soldiers awaiting inspection. In the center of the massive courtyard was the tinkling fountain that had given Terry so much comfort over his time in heaven. Who would have ever thought life after death could be just as hard, if not harder, than the first time around. Sometimes the stress was even worse. The responsibilities he carried were vast and keeping a Charge alive and safe for the duration of an assignment often proved more difficult than even he imagined. Terry pondered what a handful he must have been back in his K&R days. Sera watched over him then. If he’d only known a beautiful angel was over his shoulder, he might have behaved a bit better. These days she stood at his side. How lucky could a bloke get? He grinned.

As though she could read his mind, Sera elbowed him, shooting him a warning scowl. The Archangel Raphael’s return to heaven with his successfully saved “fallen” angel of death was a big deal. Never mind that Raphael liked to go by the name Colin when he was earthbound. Never mind that Colin spoke with an Aussie accent and wore scuffed biker boots. Never mind that he looked and acted like any average bloke Terry had ever met in his life. Colin was Raphael! Raphael the Archangel!

Now there was something Terry would never grasp. Unlike most of his peers, trainees, the Elite Guardians and even Traffic angels, Terry was human first. There were some like him, but so few they seldom crossed paths. Sera, Paul, Madam Miriam and most everyone waiting patiently in the courtyard were angels from the beginning. Some like Gabriel and handsome Jophiel, standing quietly near the front to welcome their brother home, had been angels since the butt crack of existence. So, what was Terry doing there? That was a question that might never be answered to his satisfaction. He accepted that they needed him and prayed desperately every single day not to let anyone down … especially … Him.

Again Sera poked, this time harder and he almost yelped. Everything suddenly went quiet, the air shivered and shimmered like brilliant green glitter and there they were, Raphael and the retrieved angel, Angela.

There were cheers and shouts. Raphael, in his soiled jeans and tee-shirt, shuffled uncomfortably on his boots but grinned all the same. Angela pressed a hand to her heart and let the tears fall. She’d almost lost so much, that poor sheila.  Terry clapped with the others. The Aussie Archangel did a good job, against quite a few odds and Lucifer to boot.

The crowd began to dissipate and Terry prepared to get back to his own duties but he couldn’t. There was that thing … that niggle in his gut … that … instinct. His eyes met the Archangel’s and his breath caught in his chest. Something was up, it was comin’, as sure as the Apocalypse. He just knew it.

He also knew he wasn’t gonna like it.

Paul gripped Terry’s elbow. “Come, we have a meeting.”

“Yeah? Terry had an entire classroom of Mid-Guardian trainees waiting for their day’s test. Angels aren’t always angelic and he wondered what they’d do while he was busy with the meeting. “With who?”

“Metatron, Raphael, the Master Receiver … you and me. Let’s go.”

“Why?” Terry sighed, walking quickly at Paul’s side. Paul was Sera’s father, technically making the ancient angel his father-in-law – a relationship Terry was never real prolific with. “Can it wait?” Dumb question, but worth a shot.

It didn’t even merit a response.

Yup. He was so not gonna like this. And it was the not liking stuff that made life stressful for Terry. See, in heaven, one such as him sure as bloody hell doesn’t say he doesn’t like something.

They entered Metatron’s surprisingly casual and comfortable office and followed instructions. What appeared to begin as an easy meet and greet was swiftly becoming something else all together. Terry and Raphael (Colin, in Terry’s mind) were instructed to sit side by side on chairs facing the others. Just what kind of an inspection was this going to be?

Terry fidgeted in his seat, his knee bouncing and arms crossed. Colin simply snorted and like Sera did earlier, jabbed an elbow into Terry’s side. “Relax, mate. Never pays to worry in times like this.” And he winked.

Metatron, who looked a little like Terry’s great Uncle Rufus (complete with wiry grey nose hair) passed loaded folders to the Master Receiver and Paul. Colin looked over and shrugged.

“Never pays to worry, mate,” he repeated quietly.

The Masters perused the documents, occasionally leaned their heads together then nodded.

“Can Thorne be spared?” Uncle Rufus Metatron asked. “Or will the Mid-Training program suffer?”

Paul cleared his throat. “Whatever is necessary. I think this is a perfect solution, although it may take some time. Raphael is … please pardon the image … an old dog, and Mr. Thorne is pretty set in his sensibilities, as human minds are wont to be. But, this promises to improve several areas that are currently lacking.”

The Master Receiver stood and looked down at Terry and Colin. Terry’s mind spun. The man looked massive, dark, tall as a skyscraper, broad shouldered and dangerous as hell. What else would the Death Department Head look like? Again Terry’s knee bounced, this time almost uncontrollably.

One certainly feels it when an Archangel’s elbow slams against one’s ribs.

“Ow!” Terry gasped.

“Chill,” Colin whispered. “Let’s just hear him out.”

The Master Receiver dragged a chair close and sat near the Archangel and once human. He smiled a fatherly smile that gave Terry the willies then calmly presented his case.

“Gentlemen, we have a need. We all have a need. We’re deficient in a few areas and the two of you,” his gnarled finger pointed and swayed between Colin and Terry, “are the answer.”

“Ah … sir … Master Receiver sir,” Terry stuttered, cleared his throat and tried again. “Sir, may I ask – ”

“Call me Harvey, Terry. We’re going to be working closely together for a while.”

“Alrighty then … Harvey … what are ya talkin’ about? Me? Him? Whatever he has to teach me will take eons and frankly … Harv … I’m not sure I have the time in all eternity to learn it.” He gulped.

Colin chuckled but Harvey didn’t even flinch. “Terry, it’s not what he can teach you that we feel will be the real challenge. Having been human, you have certain … emotional responses. But humans are blessedly adaptable and learning what we need you to understand won’t take forever, I guarantee.” He leaned back in his chair, ran a hand down his chest and sighed. “It’s what you can teach Raphael that we need.”

If he was in the human world, Terry would have heard every man’s heart thud, it was that quiet in the office.

“Uh … respectfully … what the bloody hell can I teach the likes of him?” Terry’s knee had stopped bouncing. He wasn’t nervous anymore, he was just plain baffled.

Harvey folded his hands on his lap. “Raphael, Terry … welcome to Project Death Watch.”

Terry’s brow rose and Colin slouched lower in the chair.

“Our assignment?” Mid-Master Guardian Terry Thorne’s instincts were dead on (no pun intended). Something was coming – an assignment at the side of the Archangel Raphael. And he wasn’t gonna like it one bit – he’d be dealing with death, something he’d spent his human time preventing and his heavenly time teaching guardians how to prevent.

“You and Raphael will be sent to earth together. Your assignment is to help our … Old Dog … learn a few new tricks. He needs extensive training on current humanity, everything you teach your recruits, only in this case, Colin will be learning on the job.”

The Master receiver turned his focus on Colin. “Raphael, you are responsible for helping Terry acclimate to the deeper responsibilities of helping a soul pass on. Not your personal area of expertise, but you have requested more time on earth and I happen to run the department most in need. When you return and are prepared, you will be reassigned with Angela. Time is short and we need all the Receivers we can get.”

Terry’s non-existent heart trembled. “Receivers? Why? Is time running out?” Had he missed a memo? Was that Apocalypse coming faster than he thought?

“These are not things for you to be concerned with, Terry. When the assignment has ended, you will be returned to your Mid-Master Guardian training responsibilities.”

Terry released a sigh of relief. If he’d still be training guardians, there’d still be humans to guard and protect for a while longer. Whew, that was bloody scary. “When do we start?”

Colin turned a tilted scowl at Terry’s enthusiasm. “I just got back, mate.”

Harvey chuckled. “Yes, yes, you did. Two weeks, gentlemen. Tie up your loose ends. We can not gauge the duration of this particular mission, it’ll all depend on how quickly you both learn.”

“Uh … a request, Harv.” Terry glanced toward Paul who nodded approval. “I’ve been back to earth twice now. Can we assure I don’t show up in a situation where I’ll be facing people who’ll … recognize me?”

“Yes, we’ve taken all that into consideration. You’ll be fine, Terry. Oh, and one more thing, Lucifer is aware of all this.”

“How’s he know?” Terry choked and both he and Colin straightened in their seats, alerted to the added degree of difficulty.

“We told him,” Uncle Rufus Metatron said matter-of-fact.

“Pardon?” Now Terry was on his feet.

“It serves us to have his interaction. It’ll keep you both on your toes. I have no doubt you and Raphael together are a good match for the Devil. Now, off with you. Two weeks. Raphael, get your R&R and Terry, pack your kit. You’re gonna need it. Further details on the mission will be forwarded to your quarters later this evening. Good day, gentlemen.”

Paul, Metatron and Harv the Death Dude never moved, so Terry and Colin left the office together.

“So, what do ya think of all this?” Colin asked.

“I think I need a beer.”