Ogunwe and Dr Huntley were sat in camping chairs, both watching the setting sun and talking companionably when I got back to the camp-site. A fire had been lit, partly to give some warmth as the temperature dropped like a stone at night, and partly to keep the wild dogs away. It also served to provide a focus for talk, and the last two nights had been filled with camp-fire stories by Huntley, Ogunwe and others, relating various experiences of their time in Africa and other places.

I found the stories fascinating, realising just how much my narrowly focussed life up to now had made me blind to some of the issues present in the world. Well, I was sure I would be facing some of them soon, given I was going after the very being who brought about drought and famine. I'd seen it as a valuable and timely lesson that might help me later down the road.

Tonight however, I wanted a lesson in a different subject, and while Ogunwe had been almost silent on the subject, it was time he and I had a chat about certain matters. Fluff had been silent since his revelation and subsequent admission of being happy now he was with me, but when I took a seat next to Ogunwe, Fluff asked if I minded if he went off 'hunting'. I told him to fill his boots, and hoped that whatever he did, he did it out of earshot of the convoy.

For a while, I sat silent, supping on a cool beer from one of the aid truck's refrigerators, listening to Ogunwe and Huntley talk about trivial stuff. Once the sun went down, and the few other members of the foundation sat around the fire headed off to bed, I accessed that area of my consciousness where Ogunwe's resided, and spoke to him.

"We need to talk."

"Ah," said Ogunwe in my head. "I wondered when you might ask me that."

Ogunwe looked over at Huntley, who immediately slumped down into his chair and fell asleep.

"Won't he realise you're doing that to him eventually?" I ask.

"No. He won't. And he will be the better man for having a good long sleep tonight. Here, take this to him please." Ogunwe held out a blanket, which I took and draped over the good doctor to keep him warm.

"Please, sit beside me. No-one will disturb or interrupt us, so you may ask anything you wish without worry if being overheard. I, for one, have been looking forward to talking with you, miss Aveline."

"So we we're okay to talk out loud?" I ask, as Ogunwe had just done so.

"Of course. I can promise you there are no prying ears. The rest of the convoy have a party arranged somewhere near the back, and they will not come here. Now, I believe you have some questions, young lady."

Ogunwe smiled that amazing, comforting smile which, as I took a seat in a camping chair close to him made me unable to help myself but smile back. Some of the awkwardness that I had been feeling leading up to this point melted away, but at the same time, I was painfully aware that I had been recruited by the 'other side'. I should be careful, I told myself, and to hide the confusion I felt I picked up a can of beer from from the cool box by the chair and popped the tab. I didn't have the slightest wish to drink it, but it gave me a moment to gather my thoughts.

"So, the first question I have is, how did you know I would turn up at the Carter Foundation? I mean, you were waiting for me there, right?"

"Correct, I was. In fact, I knew you would be coming long before you did. Before you died, even..."

"What! You knew I was going to be killed?" I found suddenly that I was standing, the beer can in my hand crushed and the contents flowing out everywhere. I threw the can in the fire and placed my hands on my hips, leaning towards Ogunwe as I spat out my next words, "You knew I was going to be killed, but didn't do anything to stop it?"

To be fair, Ogunwe looked pained, and even a little embarrassed by this. He held up his hands and closed his eyes, nodding slightly.

"Please, sit down and let me explain. Things are a little more... complicated, than they seem."

I sit down on the chair again, but stare into the fire, arms and legs crossed as I wait  to hear whatever reason would be given for leaving me to my fate. Although, it quickly dawns on me that things could be worse. The fact that I am able to be cross about being dead is a positive, isn't it? I mean, I'm not actually really dead, am I? Or am I? Oh, this is so confusing!

Ogunwe obviously knows what's going through my mind, as when I look at him he has has an amused expression and (it might be my imagination, but it could also possibly be for real), a twinkle in his eye.

"So, tell me why you did nothing when you knew I was going to be killed. Surely that's the point of being an Angel, isn't it?" I steal a glance at Ogunwe but it becomes a stare when I see the shocked look of disbelief on his face. "What?" I ask, thinking, what am I missing?

"Aveline, I'm afraid if we angels intervened in every death, this planet would be a pretty crowded place, and full of souls that suffer from knowing they should no longer be. Besides, when it is your time to go, there is nothing that can be done to prevent it. Death is... final. In your case however, things were a little more complicated."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that we could have done something to prevent your death, but... Look, maybe it would be best if I gave you a short lesson in Heaven and Hell. I do not mean to be rude, but I don't think you have much in the way of belief, do you?"

Hmm. Hit the nail on the head there. "I'm an atheist. Or, at least, I suppose I was an atheist, but now, well, now I'm a confused atheist goddamit!"

"Please don't take the Lord's name in vain."

"Sorry." Eeek, embarrassing, Watch you mouth, Aveline.

"It may surprise you, Aveline, to know that most people - most religions - are somewhat wide of the mark, when it comes to the facts of their belief. There are many variations of the theme, and many different interpretations of who said what and when, but those that come closest get some facts rights - on the one hand, there is God, who looks out for the interests of the people of Earth, and who is concerned with mankind progressing toward a higher state of being, while on the other hand there is the Devil, whose interest is directed only at himself, and who wishes to enslave the people of Earth for his own, base purposes. Have you ever heard of the terms, astral plane? Other world theory? Multiple universes?"

"Yeah, I guess. You mean like parallel dimensions?" I'd watched X-files. I knew it would come in handy one day.

"Exactly. You should view Heaven and Hell like that. They are opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to morality, but they are also both extraordinarily powerful forces, able to influence life on this planet, albeit from somewhat of a remove from reality."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that God and the Devil cannot present themselves here, in what you would refer to as the real world. They can only project their power through the actions of others, or through emissaries that work for, or represent them. Beings such as myself, for instance, or that charming Mr Coalbright who gave you such an interesting lesson in how to start a bar fight." Ogunwe smiled knowingly, and I felt my face flush with embarrassment. Still, it was an awesome lesson though...

"So angels and demons, how come they can come here, to the real?"

"They can come because they are not wholly rooted in the higher dimensions. However, there can only be so many present at any one time. There is danger in bringing too many across. Bad things happen." From the look on Ogunwe's face, I can tell he means it, and his eyes take on a far-away look. "Have you ever heard of the term; armageddon?"

I feel a shiver go down my spine. "Well, the Devil told me that Charles - the fifth horseman - that he wanted to unleash armageddon and remodel Earth in his own fashion. Or something like that."

"Yes." said Ogunwe, somewhat unhelpfully.

"He also said that God had been kidnapped."

Ogunwe came out of his reverie and regained his focus. "Kidnapped is not really the right word. Contained, is the more appropriate term. You see, Charles invested heavily in various emergent technologies - those that dealt specifically in quantum physics, primarily. About a year ago it emerged that he was financing a consortium that aimed to split atoms into their smallest possible parts. It seems that while there were many advances in the knowledge of particle physics that affected the real world's understanding of the universe, it was something else that Charles sought -  an offshoot of that research; the means to access other dimensions. This he has managed, and about a month ago, he gained access to heaven."

"Wow," I exclaim. This was really heavy shit. "What do he do when he got there?"

"He did nothing. He never ventured into heaven, Aveline. He stole it."