Arc Angel (37 page)

Ah, that was what Arc Angel had been talking about. To concentrate the power so carefully, she needed to shut down their body as much as possible. That way, all their energy could be focused on Bryce’s heart.

Despite the disconnect from her body, Miranda began to feel lightheaded. She focused all her effort on not moving even an eyelash.

Arc Angel started to work. She threaded a string of energy so fine it was like silken thread into the abnormal fiber in Bryce’s heart. Slowly, more slowly than anything Miranda had ever even imagined possible, she increased the current.

The stronger the current got, the weaker Miranda became, and the less Miranda she was. The fuzzy feeling she always got had returned, gradually wiping out everything around her and then turning to focus on her. Automatically she tried to push back, to protect her consciousness, but instantly realized that any jostling would interfere with the power working in Bryce’s heart. So she stilled and forced herself to relax and let go.

She sensed her body shutting down with her, her heartbeat slowing, her breath becoming shallow and rattling.

Miranda began to drift, and she knew that, within minutes, she’d be gone. She only hoped that Arc Angel could keep their body going long enough to finish treating Bryce.

IT IS DONE.

Just in time. I’m almost done myself.

THE BODY IS FAILING.

Ours, right?

YES. WE DO NOT HAVE MUCH TIME.

What do you mean we? Can’t you just jump into someone else’s body?

NOT EVERYONE IS STRONG ENOUGH TO CONTAIN ME.

So you’re going to die too?

Miranda was surprised to find herself saddened by the idea that Arc Angel was going to disappear as well.

I AM IMMORTAL. BUT I WILL LOSE MY PHYSICAL REALITY, YES. I WILL FADE AWAY AND REJOIN MY SISTERS.

I’m sorry.

DO NOT BE SORRY. THERE IS HONOR IN OUR PASSING. WE ACHIEVED OUR PURPOSE. WE PROTECTED THE STONE.

I wish that made me feel better,
Miranda joked, but realized that it did in fact make her feel better. She had stopped Mr. Brown, had protected the Stone, and had saved Bryce. A damn good day’s work.

Miranda’s body lost its strength and slumped, folding over until she lay across Bryce. Her cheek came to rest on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat through his shirt, his strong, healthy heartbeat. She smiled.

YOU HAVE DONE WELL, MIRANDA JAMES. YOU WILL BE REWARDED.

Arc Angel was starting to sound ragged around the edges, and Miranda knew that she, too, was starting to pull apart. She could barely focus enough to make out the words the goddess spoke.

NOW THAT MY PURPOSE HAS BEEN FULFILLED, I MUST GO. GOODBYE MIRANDA. AND THANK YOU.

As Arc Angel faded away to nothingness, Miranda felt her body go slack. The darkness swirled around her and swallowed her. She was gone.

***

“…you’re sure about that?”

“Yes, ma’am. They both seem to be fine. I’m not sure what caused them to lose consciousness, but as far as I can tell, there are no lasting side effects. Of course I’d like to take them down to St. Mary’s, just to be safe.”

The voices seeped into Miranda’s consciousness as if from far, far away. She was more than content to lie still in her self-imposed darkness—not daring to jar her aching body by opening her eyes.

Something soft and warm brushed against her hand, tangling with her fingers. A hand.

Wait. How could she be feeling anything? How could she even be here? She had gone off into the ether, disappeared. Was she a ghost? Floating over the scene of her death, like in some crazy movie?

But even in the movies, ghosts couldn’t touch things, not really. And it definitely felt like someone had grabbed hold of her hand.

Miranda pried her eyes open and looked down. Sure enough, her hand lay at her side, entwined with another. She was alive? She was alive! Battered and worn out, but alive. This must be the reward Arc Angel had mentioned.

She squeezed her eyes shut to hold back her tears of joy. The hand in hers squeezed, and she opened her eyes and looked down again at where they were joined. She followed the other hand up the arm until she reached the face. Bryce. He was alive too! She’d believed he was safe, had taken Arc Angel’s word for it, but nothing compared to seeing it for herself.

He grinned at her from his adjoining stretcher.

“How’re you doing?” He lowered his voice and added: “Both of you?”

Miranda wanted to smile back at him, but his question made her stomach sink. If she had survived, maybe Arc Angel had too. Even though they’d achieved détente there at the end, that didn’t mean she wanted the superhero, er, goddess, to continue living in her head. She mentally poked around, trying to locate her alter ego, but found only silence. After glancing around the room—yep, still in the same storage room, surrounded by EMT and police—to be sure no one was paying too close attention to her, she opened herself to the power, trying to draw electricity into her fingertips.

Nothing.

She tried again. Still nothing. No electricity, nothing.

Relief flooded through her, tinged with bittersweet regret. She’d wanted nothing more than to get rid of her powers, but having them had taught her so much.

She turned to Bryce. “
I
am fine.”

His eyes widened at her emphasis of the singular pronoun, but he just nodded.

“How are you?” she asked him, not daring to get too specific in front of all these people.

“I haven’t felt this good in years,” he said, and that washed away any lingering sense of regret. They had fixed him! He was well! More tears threatened to spill from her eyes, and she blinked to hold them back.

“Ms. James, Mr. Campion, how are you feeling?”

They looked up to see Kate O’Hara standing at their feet.

“Hello, Detective. We were just discussing that, and we’re both feeling quite well.”

“They’d like to move you to St. Mary’s, to be on the safe side. Will the two of you agree to treatment?”

Kate stared straight at Miranda, her gaze full of questions.

Miranda met her eyes full on. “I don’t see any reason why
the two of us
couldn’t go to the hospital. Just to be on the safe side,” Miranda said.

Kate managed to keep her face impassive, but Miranda knew the message had been received.

“Good. Oh, and Bryce, apparently your doctor,” she checked her notes, “Daniel Harris, is already there waiting for you. He was admitted a few hours earlier along with Winston Matthews, who I believe is your employee? Both got knocked around pretty hard, but are in good condition and anxious to see the two of you.”

Oh thank god, Dr. Harris and Matthews were safe.

“Before I let them take you, I’d like to ask you a few questions, Miranda. I’ve already talked to Mr. Campion, here, and he explained that the two of you were kidnapped and brought here by a Mr. Brown.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And then Mr. Brown kept Mr. Campion as a hostage, to force you to use your computer skills to break into the museum.”

Miranda nodded, but remained cautious. Everything so far was true, which was good, but also somewhat incriminating for her, which was bad.

“Using your computer skills, you were able to access the museum and override the security systems, allowing one of Mr. Brown’s men to acquire the artifact and bring it back to Mr. Brown here in the Tech Corp building.”

Miranda furrowed her brow in confusion.

Well, that was sort of true. If you considered her to be one of Mr. Brown’s men.

“We’ve recovered the artifact…” Miranda breathed a sigh of relief only to catch her breath as Kate continued, “…but Mr. Brown seems to have suffered some type of heart failure. He’s dead.”

Miranda tried to read between the lines of Kate’s report. Heart failure? She supposed that was an easier explanation than lethal wave of purple energy from a goddess’s ancient artifact. At least the bastard hadn’t died from the burns she knew she’d inflicted. Murder still didn’t sit well with her, even for the man who’d caused her so much pain. Besides, the irony of Mr. Brown dying of heart failure was a little delicious.

“You’ll need to come in to file an official report, but I don’t think any charges will be filed. One of Mr. Brown’s men, Gavin Brooks, has been charged with the crime.”

“Brooks?” Miranda asked in disbelief.

“Yes, we have time stamped video of him in the museum tonight, and he was the only one conscious in the room with the artifact.”

A video? Of Brooks in the museum, when it had actually been Miranda? Someone, probably silent John, must have set that twist up. Wow, that Mr. Brown was a slippery bastard. He’d framed one of his own employees for his crime. Cold.

“We do have one quick question, if you don’t mind. The guard in the museum, and several men upstairs, seem to have been affected by some type of electricity. It also seems to be the cause of several small fires upstairs. We have a video—”

“Another one?” Bryce interrupted.

“Another one.” Kate’s pokerface was a thing of beauty. “As I was saying, we have a video that shows the men collapsing. I wondered if the injuries…”

Miranda’s heart sank. Oh great. Kate had apparently lost patience after all and was going to out her.

“…have anything to do with this?”

The detective held up one of the silver dampeners.

“We found these on each of Mr. Brown’s men, including Mr. Brooks. It looks like it might be some type of electrical device.”

Kate’s face stayed as impassive as always, but Miranda thought she noticed a slight twitch around her left eyelid.

The detective had winked at her.

Miranda tried to control her own features, but couldn’t keep her usual half smile off her face.

“I think you may be right, Detective. I did see one of the men hold that up and it appeared that it sparked. I have no idea what it is, but I think it may be some type of weapon. I left to find Mr. Campion before any of the fires started, so I don’t think I can be of much help on that.”

“We’ll send it in to the lab to have it analyzed, but I’m pretty sure it’s the cause of the guards’ injuries. We think Mr. Brooks must have used it from his vantage point behind the camera. That would explain why the men fell to the ground as they approached you. They were really trying to get to the man behind the camera, and were merely trying to go around you. And apparently it had a fatal effect on Mr. Brown.”

Well, it was as good an explanation as any. Miranda mentally thanked Kate for giving her a plausible defense so quickly.

“Now, they’re anxious to take you to the hospital, so I’m going to get out of their way. I’ll expect to see both of you down at the station tomorrow to make your official statement. If you need anything before then, feel free to give me a call.”

She handed Miranda her business card, which had a phone number scribbled on the back in pencil.

Miranda looked up at Kate and nodded. They’d call her later that night to tell the detective what had really happened. It was going to be a great story.

Well look at that! I’m actually looking forward to using the telephone.

“I’m glad you two are safe. Have a good night.” Detective O’Hara walked off to confer with some of the uniformed cops across the room.

“You actually going to let me take you in this time?” the EMT nearest them asked. She turned, and Miranda realized it was her old nemesis, Kendra, looking down at her.

On second thought, make that old friend.

Miranda beamed at the EMT.

“We’re ready. Let’s go!”

“Well, I don’t know why you’re singing such a different tune this time, but it sure makes my life easier. Steve, let’s get ‘em loaded up.”

“Can we go in the same ambulance?” Bryce asked Kendra. Turning to Miranda, he added, “I don’t really want to be separated from you again. Not for a long time.”

Chapter 27

“Are you sure we should be doing this?’ Miranda asked, raising herself up on one elbow.

“The doctor did suggest bed rest.”

“This may be bed, but it’s hardly rest.”

“Eh, close enough.”

Bryce pulled her back down on top of him where he lay sprawled on his king-sized bed and kissed her soundly.

Miranda gave in for a few highly enjoyable minutes before pulling her mouth away from Bryce’s again.

“But is your heart really okay?”

“You should know. You’re the one who fixed it.”

“Actually that was Arc Angel.”

Bryce reached up and smoothed a piece of hair out of Miranda’s eyes.

“Why are you sad? Everything turned out wonderfully. Dan and Matthews are safe, Arc Angel fixed my heart, and now you’re free of her. We should be celebrating.”

“I know,” Miranda replied, “but I can’t help but feel sad for her. I’m so happy and she’s just… gone.”

“And this is what makes you so amazing. Who else in the world would feel empathy toward the entity that tried to possess her?”

“She may have been trying to possess my body, but it was never malevolent. She wasn’t even really doing it on purpose. She needed it to perform her mission. Besides, she saved you. And for that, I owe her, big time, forever. I can never repay her for helping you, and now that she’s gone, I’ll never even have the opportunity.”

Bryce pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“You have the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met.”

Miranda tried to shrug off her melancholy. “And how about you?” she asked lightly. “Not the biggest heart maybe, but the healthiest, right?”

“Dan gave me a clean bill of health. The WPW is completely gone. I’m not sure what he’s going to do about documentation on my medical record, but hey, that’s his responsibility. All I want to do with my heart right now is love you with it.”

Miranda’s breath caught.

“You love me?”

“Of course I do. And before your crazy little mind even goes there, I loved you before you sacrificed yourself to save me. I already loved you, because I already knew that you were the type of person who would be capable of such a sacrifice. You’re the strongest, most caring person I’ve ever met.”