"You said you were a caseworker!" gasped Monica.

"I am," she said with a smirk. "For the other side."

"Let me pass!"

"In a minute. I know you want out of Search and Rescue. Too 
boring. No decisions to make."

Monica's face fell. Pride. That was what got Lucifer in 
trouble, and it was going to get her, too.

"So I've set up a little puzzle for you. When you get out there, 
you'll have just enough time to save one of the boys. Not both.  
Now, Juwon is probably going to our place if he dies right now. Le 
Van will probably go to yours...probably. Then again, he might not. 
Which one you gonna save? Think fast!"  The fallen angel leaned back 
smugly against the wall, enjoying Monica's reaction.

Monica's brain was racing.  She'd been warned that Le Van had to
live; his death would turn the future much darker. But Juwon....
She wasn't any good at this sort of decision!

But she knew who was. 

"Dear Lord...."

"You're wasting valuable time."

"....you know I can't do this alone...." 

"You got that right. Give it up." 

"....so please, help me decide what to do. Amen."

There was a flutter of white wings, and the fallen angel disappeared 
with a snarl of frustration.

Monica didn't even notice. A light had gone on behind her eyes. "Of 
course!" she said, delighted. "There aren't two boys to save here,
there's three!"

She raced out the front door. Behind her, she could hear Juwon
yell out a threat to the Crip driving by, and Le Van call to her in
warning. But she had eyes only for the teenager driving the car
and the gun he was raising to fire. With a final burst of speed,
she jumped at him and knocked his gun up toward the sky.

"What the...." The boy stared at her. "You crazy, rushing me
like that!"

"I'm not crazy," she smiled serenely. "I'm an angel."
Then she glowed with a light brighter than the summer sun.

He dropped the gun, and it clattered onto the seat.

"God doesn't look to see whether you're a Crip or a Blood," 
she told the boys. "God looks at your heart. And God loves
you more than any gang ever could." She smiled. "Be good
to each other. After all, you're neighbors."

And then she was gone.

Crip and Blood stared at each other, shaken. Le Van 
looked at both his old friend and his new one. He shook his 
head as they shook hands. 

"Come on, guys, We better go see my Uncle String. He'll know where 
you can go that the gangs won't find you."

Juwon looked at Le Van. "You are too calm, man."

Le Van shrugged. "Hey, this is the City of Angels."