Battle Angel (13 page)

T
he atmosphere in the solarium was uncommonly pleasant, although Jacks didn’t know why that would be the case. Everything was controlled and kept consistent, from temperature and airflow to flora and fauna. Nevertheless, something about today was . . . nicer.

Gabriel and Jacks strolled along a path lined with short cherry trees on the far eastern corner of the indoor gardens. Normally a few of Gabriel’s sleekly clad assistants would be waiting in quiet corners for any orders, but today he had sent them out. There was something he wanted to discuss with Jacks. Alone.

Jacks had shown up determined to focus on the politics at hand, but he was still perturbed by what had happened with Emily. How had he let himself go that far? He’d just come back from that disturbing conversation with Sylvester, and then there was Emily, ready to pounce. That’s what happens when you let your guard down, thought Jacks as he cleared his thoughts and turned his full attention to Gabriel. They crossed the stone bridge and stopped at a bench. Gabriel’s face took on a cold, serious expression.

He reached inside his robe and pulled out a manila envelope, which he placed in the space between him and Jackson.

“Jackson, as you know, I fought alongside your birth father in the first era of the Troubles. During that time, atrocities were committed on both sides. Too much Angel blood was shed. I don’t ever want that to happen again.

“However, ever since the Troubles, I have sworn that although difficult decisions must be made, if a small amount of blood must be spilled to save thousands, then that blood must be shed. For the greater good, for Angelkind. I need you to understand why that must be. And know that no decision is to be taken lightly.”

Jackson nodded silently, thinking of the centuries Gabriel had lived through, shielding the Angels the best he knew how. What must that be like? What might it do to someone to experience so much bloodshed?

Gabriel tapped the envelope lightly with his fingers. “Open it.”

Jacks reached down with a feeling of foreboding. He unfastened the brass brad, flipped open the flap, reached inside, and pulled out a glossy photo.

Panic and shock zipped up Jackson’s spine and into his skull. It was a photo of Detective Sylvester.

With Louis Kreuz.

Kreuz was a traitor.

“I’m assuming you know both of those men, Jackson?”

“Yes, sir.” Jackson hadn’t told Gabriel about Sylvester’s surprise visit, but Gabriel knew the two had worked together in the past.

“That photo was taken just a few days ago,” Gabriel said. “Are you aware that Detective Sylvester is running an anti-Angel organization here in the city?”

“I’ve heard some things.”

“So then you might be wondering what one of our most esteemed Angels, the head of our Guardian training program, would be doing with him. Outside the sanctuary. Wouldn’t that strike you as a bit curious, Jackson?”

Jacks nodded. “It would, sir.”

“This is a serious breach. Imagine, trusting someone with the most important information, and learning he’s been a traitor the whole time. Right under our noses.

“Already, he’s posed a serious threat to each and every one of us. Our security has been compromised from the inside out. He needs to be stopped before anything else happens. This is a war we are fighting here. And we must be victorious.”

Gabriel looked at Jackson carefully.

“And after we stop him . . . we stop the detective. You understand what I’m asking of you?”

“Yes, sir,” Jacks said. His stomach tightened, blood flowing with endorphins. “I understand.”

“Good. I know this may be difficult for you,” Gabriel said, putting a gentle hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “But we must do our duty.”

Jacks met his gaze and nodded, his eyes unblinking.

D
etective Sylvester sat with his hands clasped and resting on the worn, wooden pew in front of him. His eyes drifted around the darkened sanctuary of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church from behind his wire-rimmed glasses. He was the only parishioner in the empty cathedral at this hour. A few candles flickered near the altar, casting light up into the vaulted arches. A soft yellow-orange glow danced along the stained-glass windows that faced the pitch-black city beyond.

Sylvester was trying to pray. It had been a while, and he felt a block in his heart as he sat there. But he continued. He needed to. He didn’t know what else to do.

Louis Kreuz had gone missing just hours before. He’d missed the nightly drop, and while Louis was many things, he wasn’t forgetful. And he wasn’t sloppy. The entire resistance was waiting with bated breath for any information, but so far nothing had come through.

And Sylvester had a bad feeling.

Despite the warm light from the candles, a chill hung in the air of the spacious cathedral. The detective coughed lightly, sending an echoing boom through the chamber.

Again and again Sylvester wondered what he could have done differently to prevent this. The detective racked his brain trying to think of what safety measure they’d overlooked, what contingency plan they’d botched, until he was washed over with echoes of the guilt he felt over the girl he was too late to save those many years ago.

And the worst part of all was that Sylvester knew it was useless. He’d never find the answer.

Yet now he was moved by a different feeling as he sat in the pews he knew so well. Somehow, he needed to get square with his God, and in a hurry.

He needed absolution.

He clasped his hands together tightly as he bowed his head.

Just then, the old door of the church opened with a creak, and a gust of wind sent the candles at the altar flickering. The priest had left long ago and wouldn’t be coming back this night. A strange feeling came across the detective’s entire body as he sat there kneeling. Was it anticipation? Or dread? The detective cast his eyes back to the church door.

A dark silhouette stood in the threshold. The door closed with an echoing boom, and Sylvester knew they were alone together.

“I thought I might find you here,” the voice said.

“It’s
you
?” Sylvester said.

“Yes. It’s me.”

M
addy stood on the deck and watched the dawn light creep up from the East, back toward Angel City. Purple clouds splashed with pink shimmered along the horizon, and streams of golden light stretched up into the sky.

Looking down to the water, Maddy felt dizzy. Hundreds of feet below, the dark Pacific foamed as it churned along the side of the massive ship.

She couldn’t sleep. It was the nightmare again, more vivid than ever this time, and with one major, disturbing change. Instead of the 101, the dream took place on the aircraft carrier. Her legs were paralyzed as an enormous Dark Angel, twice as large as the one she had actually seen, towered over her, its eyes smoldering with the purest hatred. Was this Sylvester’s head demon? Tom was in the dream, too, but every time she reached for him, he seemed to drift farther away. And though she didn’t see him, she could feel Jacks’s presence, too. Right when the demon was about to close in on her, she’d woken up with a silent scream. She’d banged her head on the bunk above her as she’d bolted upright, gasping for air.

Now on the carrier deck, Maddy heard footsteps. She turned around to find a pleasant surprise.

“Up with the roosters?” Tom asked. Maddy smiled.

“I wanted to see the sunrise,” she lied, not wanting to get into her grisly nightmare.

Tom stood behind her and tentatively placed his arms around her waist.

“It’s okay,” she told him.

Why was he being so cautious? Maddy knew she had to do something to reassure him, so that, for just a moment, they could pretend it was just a normal day, that they were just a happy couple, sharing the first morning light together. Maddy leaned back into Tom’s strong frame and let him hold her even tighter. She turned and nuzzled against his chest, lightly pursing her lips to make a silent kiss against his upper arm. Together they stood in near silence, the only sounds their breathing and the crashing waves below.

So why did Maddy feel afraid?

She felt fear, but she also felt comforted. Maybe she really had made the right choice.

“I should get ready,” Maddy said. “They’ll need me soon.”

• • •

Maddy stood on the deck in her customized flight suit, a breeze running through her hair. It was time to start her job. There was a briefing at 0700 hours in the combat control room, and she was determined to be fresh, sharp, and attentive.

Inside the control room were dozens of suspended computer screens glowing with green maps, each one marked at its center with the demon sinkhole. Maddy saw tiny digital crescents representing aircraft carriers and warships moving across the screens in real time.

“All right, all right, settle down,” Captain Blake said as the pilots noisily made their way inside. He assigned Maddy to a seat right beside him, which once again made her feel like a bit of a fraud.

The captain cleared his throat. “We have business to get to. We’ve been at war six days, and we’ve not made much progress. So I’ll cut to the chase. We’re running blind right now. We don’t know when the demons are going to strike next. Each and every aircraft that has been sent out to monitor the situation has been destroyed. Now the demons are patrolling a two-mile wide radius, taking down all our high-flying drones. So we’re relying on satellites, but the demons have caught on to that, too, and have found a way to interfere with our signals. We can’t get a clear picture. But we know one thing’s for damn sure: the sinkhole’s growing. And seismic activity in the area has spiked in the last twenty-four hours. The boys in scientific intelligence predict we’ll be seeing some action within twelve to twenty-four hours.”

A buzz erupted in the room as the pilots reacted to the news.

“Settle down, settle down,” the captain said. “Now. We can’t be caught by surprise like last time. We need to strike
before
the enemy does. And that’s where Lieutenant Commander Madison Montgomery Godright comes in. She’s been hand-selected by President Linden to help our frontline forces get the upper hand.”

Groans and grim expressions cropped up around the room. Maddy’s face flushed and she tried to keep a brave face as the pilots turned to look at her.

“Now, I know a lot of you may have some personal opinions about the Immortals, especially right now. But today I am ordering you to check those opinions at the door. And I want you to remember that Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Godright is on our side, always has been. So put aside any prejudices and let her help us. We have to trust her. She might be our best hope.”

He turned to Maddy, gesturing for her to stand up.

“You can take it from here, Lieutenant Commander.”

“I, um . . .” Maddy scanned the eyes in the room, most of which eyed her back with distrust. She felt panicked, and was reminded of how she felt the first time she went to a red-carpet Angel event. All those expectant faces, not all of them friendly. Finally she spotted Tom, nodding reassuringly and mouthing, “
You can do it.
”

She took a breath, thinking about what Susan Archson had taught her about concentration and staying in the present moment whenever she felt nervous. Maddy looked around the room and met each mistrustful gaze with pure grace.

“I know a lot of you are wondering,
What can this girl teach us?
And you’d be right. I can’t teach you much. You’ve had years of military training, and I’m just an Angel. Well, a half-Angel, anyway. And to many of you I’m probably just a kid.” She paused to let her words sink in. “But I know about your recent losses. The friends who died fighting in the first wave.”

And of course, just when she needed to stay focused the most, she thought of Jackson, the Angel she’d just lost.

“I know what it’s like to lose someone you care about,” Maddy continued, avoiding Tom’s conflicted gaze. Did he know whom she was talking about? “I get it. You want revenge. But that’s what the demons
want
you to feel. So they can feed on your anger. They’re counting on you to make mistakes in your grief. And if we make too many mistakes, they’ll win. They want to sow chaos, evil, and hatred, to make their job even easier.

“We can’t let that happen. We all bear the pain of losing someone. But we can’t let that get to us. Because by that point, they’ll have already won.

“I know I’m not one of you, not really. I don’t know how to fly an F-Eighteen. I don’t know the difference between one missile and the next. But, like the captain said, I can tell when the demons are coming, and where they’ll be coming from. I don’t know the strategies and attack methods—that’s what all of you are here for. But I can help the forces coordinate so that we can attack them before they have a chance to attack us. All I want is to help.” Maddy paused and scanned the room, making sure to meet each pilot’s gaze and show that she was sincere. “And I hope you’ll let me.”

As Maddy sat down, she was met with a room full of approving nods, and a smiling Tom giving her a thumbs-up. Well, at least she hadn’t crashed and burned.

• • •

After the briefing, Tom and Maddy made their way belowdecks. Maddy felt the rush of adrenaline dissipating in her body after having faced, and survived, the group of skeptical pilots.

“You did great, Maddy,” Tom said. “You won them over.”

Maddy tried to smile confidently.

But she still felt uneasy. Everyone had so much faith in her, more than she had in herself. What if she
didn’t
see the demons before they came? What if this was all part of a big joke, dressing her up in this flight suit, giving her an important title, and then all of a sudden the demons attacked and she hadn’t even had a clue?

Maddy knew she was just caught in a spiral of negative thinking and she should focus only on the task at hand. But still, she couldn’t shake it.

As if he sensed that she doubted herself, Tom said, “Maddy, you have nothing to worry about. You’re amazing. And we’re all so grateful for your help. Don’t you realize what it means to have that extra edge of time? It’s crucial. It’s the difference between life and . . . between winning and losing.”

She nodded unconvincingly, her steps slowing as they neared the end of the narrow hallway of the ship where her cabin was.

Suddenly, as they reached her cabin door, she felt something in her stomach. It wasn’t exactly a premonition. But what was it? It stayed there, lodged in her belly. Her uneasiness grew, as the carrier lurched slightly sideways in the waves.

An unexpected flash crossed her mind. An image, like a garbled message. A dark wing blotting out the sun.

“What is it?” Tom said, studying Maddy’s face, which had lost its color and turned a pale, waxy hue.

“They’re coming,” Maddy said, breathless.

Suddenly the Klaxon of an alarm began ringing across the carrier.

Maddy cursed under her breath. What good was she?

“I’m too late!” she shouted over the alarm, desperate. She started running down the hall, then stopped and looked back at Tom.

Tom put his hand to his lips and pressed it toward Maddy. With tears in her eyes she grabbed the kiss and put it to her heart. Sailors were scrambling on all sides of them, and just like that they both disappeared into the chaos of the forces getting ready, Maddy running to the bridge and Tom sprinting to the pilot ready room. Maddy bounded up the metal stairs, her feet clanging as she swung her body around a corner, gripping onto the metal railing and taking them three steps at a time.

It was madness in the control room when she arrived. People shouting coordinates, running around, radios squawking.

“Where the hell have you been?” Captain Blake yelled. “You were supposed to see this coming!”

“I—I did!” Maddy spat out.

“But not in time. We’re caught with our pants down. We’ll be lucky if we can get one bird up in the air before they reach us!”

“I—” Maddy started.

“Just stay out of the way!” the captain angrily said as he reached for his radio and intercom microphone. “That’s the least you can do.”

The captain began screaming orders over the intercom, his officers dashing around madly. Up on the deck, Maddy saw Tom emerge from below. He ran toward his jet, holding his white helmet with one hand and fastening his flight suit with the other. Spouts of steam poured out of hydraulic lifts across the chaotic deck.

Maddy looked to the horizon but could see nothing. Yet the radar clearly showed a battle line moving toward them. It was only a matter of a minute or two.

How could she have failed so miserably already? Why did they ever send her here in the first place? Maddy wasn’t a soldier, no matter what the others said. And now she’d maybe made things even worse, because people thought they could count on her. Turned out they could only count on her to make a mess of things, she thought to herself miserably.

A deafening roar erupted as an F-18 fired off the deck of the aircraft carrier.

“At least we have one jet up,” the captain said. He grabbed the mic. “Get out there and raise some hell.”

Suddenly the line of demons on the radar shifted rapidly.

On the radio, one of the battleships started shouting.
“They’ve come around on us! They’re flanking us from the south! Mayday! Mayday!”

“What the hell happened?” one of the radiomen yelled at Maddy.

“This is it! This is it!”

Drops of sweat formed on Maddy’s forehead as she looked out toward the horizon. Why couldn’t she get a read on them? With the first wave of demons, she’d been almost clubbed to the ground with her premonition. Had they figured out some way to avoid her?

A panicked voice crackled through the radio from a jet’s transmission.
“Tower, we have bogies everywhere—everywhere! I can’t even count them. They’re all over my radar.”

“Hold. Hold.
Hold!
” the captain yelled. “Wait until you have a clean shot and we have a lock.” Maddy could tell the captain was trying to keep his voice calm. Everyone on the bridge was frozen in anticipation, just waiting, motionless, for a full formation of demons, ready to destroy them all.

Suddenly the black line of demons appeared on the horizon, emerging from wispy clouds. So close. Dark silhouettes against the sky, the demons rushed inevitably toward the carrier and the rest of the ships.

Maddy felt sick.

The demon shapes made sharp black silhouettes against the bright sky, moving with menace toward them, gathering speed as they approached. A cold-sweat sheen broke out on the radarman’s forehead.

“They’re everywhere!”

The shadowed wings were almost there, blocking out the very sun. Searing toward them with dread certainty. This was the moment everyone had been fearing. The Darkness was coming.

“Prepare to open fire on the enemy,” the captain said.

“
We have missile lock
,”
the pilot of the jet said.
“Engaging, in three, two—”

Maddy jolted straight up, as if electrified.

With all her strength, Maddy shoved the captain out of the way and grabbed the microphone from his hands.

“
Hold your fire—that’s a direct order!
” she screamed.

Maddy slid down onto the floor, tears streaming down her face, utterly overwhelmed with what she had seen. The stunned captain was picking himself off the floor, staring at Maddy in utter disbelief and rage.

“You just have to trust me,” she said through sobs.

The captain looked to the horizon as the demons drew nearer and nearer. In the tussle, the microphone had toppled over and slid to the other side of the floor. It was too late, anyway. He watched the messengers of death emerging from the clouds. He crossed himself. This was the end.

Maddy wiped the tears away from her cheeks and looked out the window.

She recognized the sleek white angles of the wings. These were no demons.

They were Angels.

And leading the charge was Jackson Godspeed.

“Jacks,” Maddy said under her breath, still gasping on the floor. Suddenly she woke from her stunned state. “They’re Angels. Angels! They’re here to help, not to attack!”

The captain took one look at her face and decided to trust her.