by Elana Brooks
Rosalia nodded and worked to calm and open her mind. She reached out for a vision of the future. No specific images appeared, but a strong sense of dread permeated the hours immediately ahead. She shivered. They haven’t given up.
We can’t drop our guard for a moment. Can you stay in contact and lead your sessions at the same time?
I’ll try. It would be hard to concentrate on her work while constantly sparing enough attention to keep her mind connected to Steve’s, but she didn’t have any other choice. She wasn’t going to let Angel take her by surprise again.
Okay. I’ll be back as quick as I can. He sent an image of him kissing the top of her head and striding away.
Rosalia breathed for a moment to center herself, then scrambled to her feet. The new class was already streaming in, but if she hurried she could grab a bathroom break and a drink of water before starting the next session.
She made it back and launched into her introduction only eight minutes past the scheduled time, while the last few students were still rushing to their mats. She couldn’t help eyeing them suspiciously, but didn’t recognize any of them. Of course, that meant little. Angel surely had dozens or hundreds of members she’d never seen. But hopefully none of them were as strong as the leaders she knew.
The class proceeded uneventfully for half an hour. Rosalia checked in with Steve after every pose, monitoring his progress from his hotel through the crowded streets. He’d opted to walk, which she thought a wise choice. It was only a few miles, and so many cars were gridlocked around the convention center that a cab or bus would have taken hours to cover the distance. The throngs of pedestrians made walking slower than usual, but Steve was making reasonable time. He’d arrive before the end of the session.
She swept her arms overhead. “Another sun salutation. Bend at the waist—“
A vision seized her mind. A giant boulder bounced in the center of a crossroads and flew through the air, soaring in a graceful arc toward the spot where Steve, surrounded by dozens of terrified people, gazed upward helplessly at their doom. Steve!
He scanned the street as she shoved the images into his mind. Got it. That intersection, I think. Now—
He fell silent. She tried to see through his eyes, but he was too occupied to open them to her. She felt fear, concentration, intense effort, but they were maddeningly unspecific.
She realized she was frozen bent over touching her toes, along with all her students. They were starting to shift and murmur, wondering why she’d paused so long. She snatched a breath and went on as if nothing had happened. “Now step back one foot, then the other, into downward facing dog…”
She got them through the move and into a resting pose before Steve’s weary thoughts reached her. I’m all right. Thanks for the heads up.
Rosalia gulped at the image he sent. A big SUV darted forward as a light turned green. It lurched and flipped, tumbling through the air directly toward Steve. Because he was ready for it, he was able to grab it telekinetically, slow its fall, and guide it to a landing in the clear spot that opened as those around him fled, screaming. The driver struggled from the wreck, hysterically proclaiming his innocence. “I don’t know what happened! The wheel just jerked out of my hands!”
Steve ignored him and continued toward the convention center, pushing the crowds aside. I think Robert or Sarangerel must have done it. From what I saw, Carlos isn’t strong enough to throw something that heavy. They’re probably nearby.
Rosalia clenched her fists. I’m sure you’re right. And they’re not just after me. They’re trying to kill you, too.
His thoughts were weary. Looks like it. Stay alert.
I will.
She returned her attention to her class, except for the sizable portion of her mind that clung to Steve’s and constantly scanned for visions. She managed not to let it distract her too much, and by accelerating the pace got the class to a usable state of exhaustion a few minutes earlier than usual. She didn’t skimp on the meditation induction, but as soon as she was sure everyone was as relaxed as they were going to get, she popped out of her body and soared over the rows. No attacks or visions came, and she identified twelve strong candidates before plopping back into her body to rouse and dismiss the class.
She flung herself into Steve’s arms when he pushed through the exiting students into the room. “They know about us. They must. They know I can see what they’re going to do, with your help, and they’re determined to stop us. They won’t give up until one of us is dead.”
She wanted him to contradict her, but he nodded. “Or both of us.”
“What are we going to—“
A vivid image burst into her mind. Robert, dressed in a Boy Scout uniform, knelt in a small forest clearing over the carefully arranged logs and kindling of a campfire. He moved two sticks closer and closer together. When they touched, a spark sprang out and fell into the kindling. It burst into flames. They swiftly spread into the surrounding trees. Dark clouds gathered overhead, but no rain fell. Within moments the whole forest was blazing.
She transmitted the images to Steve. Before she finished, he took off toward the far side of the room. Rosalia ran after him, catching up as he ripped a fire extinguisher from its bracket. “Where?” he demanded.
“Not far. I think…” She rotated until the direction aligned with the sense of where her vision originated. “That way.”
Steve rushed off. She raced after him, looking ahead. At first she saw nothing, but then spotted a nondescript door in the far wall. A thread of smoke snaked under it.
The stench of burning plastic choked her as Steve threw the door open and sent a burst of wildly hissing fog streaming over a smoldering pile of fabric. A light fixture dangled from the ceiling, broken wires sparking.
“We know it’s you, Robert!” he shouted over the noise. “We know what you’re doing. You won’t succeed.”
The Australian-accented voice was confident in Rosalia’s mind. We’ll see about that.
Steve kept the fire extinguisher going until the last of its charge ran out. He telekinetically scattered the pile of charred and blackened curtains until he was certain no embers remained. Meanwhile Rosalia pulled apart the sparking wires, breaking the short circuit.
Maintenance workers arrived. Rosalia and Steve fell back, letting them take over. Steve pointed to a metal fixture on the ceiling. “Check the sprinkler system. It didn’t go off. I suspect it’s been disabled.”
“Yes, sir.” The man scowled at the errant fixture. “We’re going to have to evacuate the building.”
“You can’t do that,” Steve said firmly, an instant before Rosalia burst out with the same words, a lot less calmly. “Our work here is far too vital to delay. As you see, we’re able to keep the people in our sessions safe.”
The man scowled. “City regulations—“
“Can be suspended. I’ll speak to the mayor, and the governor if necessary. The Covenant of the Rainbow has been given broad emergency powers to deal with this crisis. Until the aliens have been defeated, normal procedures are going to be disrupted.”
The man still looked disgruntled, but he backed off before Steve’s effortless authority. “You’ll have to talk to my boss.”
“Take me to him. And have your crew clear out this mess. We’re going to bring the candidates in and start the next session in fifteen minutes.”
A new storm of protest greeted his words, but Steve waved them away. He pointed, and the man grudgingly led him toward the exit, complaining all the way. Steve’s rueful voice came to Rosalia’s mind. It will probably be more like half an hour. Stay in touch and alert, of course, but take the opportunity to rest and get something to eat. Who knows how much more of this we’re going to have to handle.
Chapter 18
Two years ago
Rosalia sat on a bench in the meditation garden, staring into the endlessly falling water of the fountain. Its tinkling music tried but failed to calm the turmoil in her heart.
Fl
ora had expressed pleasure with Rosalia’s progress. She’d declared her introductory training complete and had brought her to the garden to show her the final Memory.
When it was over, she’d released Rosalia’s hands. “It’s up to you now. Think it over. If you decide to take the Covenant oath, contact me. I’ll arrange for the ceremony and for your further training. If not, I wish you luck, dear.” Rosalia had been surprised to see brightness in the old woman’s eyes. “But I do hope you choose to join us. The Covenant is going to need strong young talents like you when the Seraphim get here.”
She’d patted Rosalia’s knee and left. Rosalia had remained, pondering the images of the Memory and thinking about what she would do.
What she’d learned in the past week should be hard to believe, but it wasn’t. Rosalia had no serious doubts that the aliens she’d seen were real, and that the Memories were an accurate account of what had transpired millennia ago. She accepted that within a few short years the Seraphim ship would appear in Earth’s sky, bent on destruction, and that the Covenant’s response would doom humanity or save it. She’d learned more about her powers in a few days from Steve and Flora than she had in all the years of her life up until now. And she knew the Covenant had far more to teach her, if she dedicated herself to their cause.
The choice should be easy. But it wasn’t. She’d be giving up so much. Her career. Her plans for the future. Her independence. She wanted what the Covenant offered, but she didn’t want to surrender everything she’d worked so hard to achieve.
And then there was Steve. Where was their relationship going? Should she continue it, or break it off? The two decisions were separate—she could join the Covenant but end things with Steve if she chose, or vice versa—but they felt the same. She could gain so much from Steve. An incredible lover, a strong and steadfast friend, a heart and soul’s companion. But she’d have to give up so much in exchange.
The final image of the Memory lingered in her mind. The original Eight, hand in hand, rainbow arching overhead. They had vowed to protect Earth from the Seraphim. For eight thousand years that vow had endured. Rosalia felt the power of it. She both longed to be a part of it and feared it.
She opened her mind, seeking guidance, but no vision came to her. The future was in flux. Until she made a decision, or two decisions, no single path was likely enough to make itself known. She had to do this blind, just like everyone else.
At length she sighed and directed her thoughts to a more specific destination. Steve?
Hey. Are you finished?
Yes.
I’m in my office.
I’ll come up.
She headed to the elevator, her pulse quickening in anticipation. Her mind might be conflicted, but her body wasn’t. It wanted him, plain and simple. This past week had completely redefined her idea of sex. He’d visited her apartment every night. Every night she’d thought it couldn’t get any better, and every night it had.
Sex had always been wonderful, but she’d never understood why someone would sell their soul for it. Now she did.
He looked up from the papers on his desk when she entered. His smile flashed quick and bright, twisting her heart. “Congratulations.”
She spread her hands. “For what?”
“For making it through your initiation. You’d be surprised how many people run screaming after the first day. Or slip off quietly, never to be heard from again. Some of them beg us to block their memories so they don’t have to live with the knowledge that the universe is a much bigger and scarier place than they ever dreamed.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t hard.”
“Still.” He beckoned her close and swiveled his computer monitor so she could see it. “I want to take you out to celebrate. A nice restaurant, and then a show. ‘Annie, Get Your Gun’ is playing at the Ahmanson. The reviews are great. Have you ever seen it?”
“No, but I’ve always wanted to. I know a few of the songs.” She peered at the web page he displayed, and her shoulders drooped. “It’s sold out.”
“That doesn’t have to stop us.” He clicked on a button and typed for a moment. “There. I’ve made a donation equal to the price of two of the most expensive tickets. We’ll have the best astral seats in the house.”
She frowned at his smug grin. “That doesn’t seem ethical to me.”
“Why not? They get to sell two extra tickets, and no one has to worry about my big head blocking their view. It would certainly be wrong to sneak in without paying, but we have, so no worries. They won’t get to hear us applaud, but I’m sure we can bang on something telekinetically to add a little noise.”
She shook her head, but couldn’t come up with any convincing arguments to support her initial reaction. And the more she thought about it, the more she saw his point. “I guess.”
He hit a key to put his computer to sleep and rose to come around the desk. He took her in his arms and bent to kiss her. “You’ll love it,” he promised.
The restaurant was beautiful, all warm reds and ochres, with subtle abstract art on the walls and glowing candles encased in amber-swirled handblown glass on the tables. Her grilled salmon and roasted asparagus was delicious, as were the bites of veal piccata Steve traded with her and the bottle of sauvignon blanc they shared. The delicate chocolate mousse afterward was even better.
They returned to the Covenant building and settled onto cots in the garden. Steve waved at the guardians’ window, where he’d arranged for someone to stay until they returned. When she emerged from her body, she found him waiting, clad in a perfectly tailored tuxedo. She shifted her elegant but subdued dress into a sparkling gown worthy of the Oscars. He chuckled and offered her his arm. She took it, and they strolled through the wall and over the shining city.
They sat on air in the center of the theater, above the heads of the rest of the audience. The show was superb. The woman who played Annie had a beautiful voice with an impressive range. There was strong chemistry between her and the man who played Frank. The supporting actors brought each character to vivid life. The big dance numbers were rousing showstoppers, and the quieter, more intimate songs were intensely emotional. When Annie and Frank finally pledged their love, Rosalia’s eyes were damp, along with everyone else’s.
And yet, as the cast took their bows, her heart was heavy. She tried to hide it from Steve, clapping with what she was sure was sufficient enthusiasm, but of course he noticed anyway. When the curtains closed, he took her hand and they soared over the departing throng and out through a wall. But instead of heading back toward their bodies, Steve drew her west toward the beach.
When she resisted, he peered at her anxiously. “Are you all right? I thought you might want to go swimming again.” He raised an eyebrow suggestively, but his playful leer faded when she shook her head. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She crossed her arms and refused to look at him.
“Was it the show? I’m surprised they used the original version of the script. It’s pretty dated.”
She shrugged.
“I mean, I feel kind of guilty being happy about Annie and Frank getting together, when she had to throw their contest to appease his male ego. I hear there’s a revised version where both of them miss their shots on purpose and it ends in a tie.”
She shook off her melancholy. He obviously wanted to engage in one of their spirited debates. She usually loved them, even when they progressed to heated fights. Maybe especially then. “Does that really make it better? Why can’t she just do her best and win? If Frank can’t take it, he’s not the man for her.”
He warmed to the argument. “But Annie wants him. Why shouldn’t she sacrifice to get what she wants? She doesn’t care about proving she’s a better shot than him. She knows she is. She’s giving up something she doesn’t care about to get something she does.”
Rosalia’s heart quickened. Energy surged through her leaden limbs. “But why should she have to? Why should she make herself less than she is for
a man?”
“Of course she shouldn’t have to. But she doesn’t. She does it to help Frank, because she cares how he feels. He knows she’s better than him. One missed shot isn’t going to change that. He’s going to live the rest of his life in her shadow. She’s just willing to give a little to make accepting that easier on him.”
Rage boiled up in Rosalia’s heart, fierce and hot and welcome. “Bullshit. She should dump him and find someone worthy of her. Someone who can handle her the way she is.”
“Maybe Frank should dump her. Why should he marry a woman who’s going to rub how superior she is into his face every day of their lives? I’d get sick of that pretty quick.”
“Maybe he should!” She whirled and set off rapidly south. Steve matched her pace. She pushed until she was flying as fast as she was able. He soared beside her effortlessly. If he wanted he could outstrip her with trivial effort, but he held himself to her speed.
Everything looked different from above than from the ground. She wondered if she could find what she was looking for, but when she reached her destination it was unmistakable. Dark rows of orange trees spread beneath her, endless acres of them. As she plummeted toward their branches, the fragrance reached her, heavy and sweet. White star-shaped blossoms shone among the glossy leaves, luminous in the darkness. She couldn’t deny their beauty, but she couldn’t enjoy it, either.
Steve slowed to a stop beside her. “Gorgeous. I can see why you wanted to bring me here.” He took a deep breath. “I’m glad our astral forms have a full set of senses. What a lovely scent.”
“It makes me sick.” Rosalia kicked a branch. With sudden fury she stripped off a handful of flowers and crushed them in her fist, the cloying smell almost choking her. She flung them away, and the bruised petals fluttered to the ground. “My mother’s parents were migrant workers. I have uncles and aunts and cousins who still are. They harvest oranges in these orchards. The pay is crap, but it’s what they know.”
