Natural Born Angel

by Speer, Scott

  “The Council will now see you . . . Detective Sylvester.”

  “Thank you.”

  Detective Sylvester stood up, picking up his thick folder full of documents, photos and testimonies. Smoothing his overcoat, he followed the Angel woman across the hall towards two large double oak doors. Each door had a long, black iron handle. She pulled them at the same time. The doors creaked as they swung open, revealing to Detective Sylvester a chapel – he had seen footage of it this year during Maddy’s Commissioning. Thick Grecian columns ran the length of the room, and in the centre was a table, shimmering under the candlelight. The Council of Twelve sat around it. Sylvester’s breath caught in his throat as he saw the resplendent Twelve, those original Archangels who had brought Angels out of hiding, established Angel City, and founded the entire system on which the Angels ran today.

  “David Sylvester,” the Angel woman announced before retreating. She closed the doors behind her.

  “Welcome, David. Please, approach.” The voice was distinctive and authoritative. Gabriel’s. He sat at the centre of the table, wearing a golden robe that seemed to glow all on its own. He had surprisingly youthful features for the sleek mass of trademark white hair atop his head. Archangel Mark Godspeed sat to the side of Gabriel. He was wearing his normal uniform of designer suit and sharp tie. He had got Sylvester the meeting after the detective’s heads-up on the Churchson bombing scandal. Godspeed owed him one.

  Walking forward, Sylvester had more of an opportunity to see the room. On the opposite wall were two enormous flat-screen TVs built into the marble walls of the private chapel of the Council. Closed-captioned news footage of President Linden’s inauguration, as well as Maddy’s unsanctioned save, was playing on the TVs. All the corners of the room hid in shadows. The Council watched him as he approached.

  Gabriel studied Sylvester with his piercingly sharp eyes before speaking.

  “Mark says you know something of importance that may affect the very existence of Angels.” He looked at Mark beside him. “It is to him you owe this extraordinary audience with us.”

  “Thank you,” Sylvester said. He polished his glasses on his shirt. “I will get straight to the point. It is my belief that Dark Angels are emerging at a greater and greater rate across the planet. That incidents of death and destruction around the globe have been caused by these demons. I’ve uncovered dozens of cases that could be linked to these demons.” He held the manila folder aloft. “The crack created last year has led to this – they were waiting some time for an opening between their world and ours. For an opportunity. In fact, according to my reading of The Book of Angels, I believe demons have spotted their chance first to conquer humanity, and then to overtake Angels and replace them on earth as the dominant supernatural power. It is only a matter of time before the war begins. The war between good and evil.”

  The detective’s words hung in the chapel air. The members of the Council remained silent in their beautiful finery and golden robes. They eyed the detective. Gabriel’s gaze remained unwavering on Sylvester.

  “Detective,” Gabriel’s voice was full and slow, magnificent, “you are aware of what’s happening right now?” Gabriel nodded to the large screens playing footage of President Linden and the scandal surrounding Maddy’s save of Lauren.

  “Yes,” Sylvester said. “Of course.”

  “Good. Then you will understand how precarious of a position we are in at this moment,” Gabriel said. “The humans are turning against us, their very benefactors. We stand, in short, at a crisis. It is imperative we maintain our rightful place, here, in Angel City, on earth. This threat from the humans is real. It is before us right now. This instant.”

  Gabriel continued. “Even if we were to believe your hypothesis about the demons emerging, have these Dark ones been harming Angels? It seems in all these cases, humans have been perishing. Not our kind.”

  Sylvester attempted to control his frustration. He motioned to the thick folder in his hand. “I’ve seen some of it first-hand myself. The death and destruction. And if you look at these documents, you’ll see it’s much more than just a hypothesis.”

  Gabriel nodded, understandingly. “You may be surprised to know that we are already quite aware of some of your so-called demon incidents.”

  “And you’ve done nothing?” Sylvester said, in shock. Mark’s face showed he was also surprised by the revelation that the Council might have known demons were operating at will on earth already.

  “Although they may betoken the presence of demons,” Gabriel said, “we see no evidence they mean to turn on us.”

  “But you can’t believe they won’t— ”

  “We can believe a lot of things. What would you have us do? Ferret out the Dark Angels one by one? There is no surer way to goad them into turning their focus on us. You forget that we Twelve have dipped our swords in demon blood. It is not something we would relish again unless absolutely necessary.”

  Sylvester stared at the Council in their glowing robes. “The humans won’t stand a chance.”

  A sardonic grin appeared on the edges of Gabriel’s mouth. “Humans? As we speak, David, the humans are turning against us in an enormous case of ingratitude and arrogance. The very existence of our way of life is at stake. Once again we have been disappointed by mankind.”

  Mark looked at Sylvester with regret in his eyes, as if to say he’d done his best.

  “That is all, thank you,” Gabriel said.

  Sylvester stood there, bitterly gritting his teeth. Gabriel turned and began quietly speaking to Uriah, the Council Archangel to his left. Sylvester stood rooted to his spot. Gabriel looked up at the detective, as if at an annoying child.

  “That is all, detective.”

  CHAPTER 33

  Linden had set a press conference for the evening of the day after Maddy’s save. The Angels were remaining quiet. No one knew what was going to happen, and a strange stillness hung across the city. Most of the day, Maddy stayed in her old room at Uncle Kevin’s, the last bastion of calmness in a world rocked by her unsanctioned save of someone who wasn’t a Protection.

  Eventually Maddy decided to go out. She could at least go to her apartment and get some of her things to bring back to her uncle’s. She felt like staying at Kevin’s for a while for some reason. It just seemed more comfortable for her.

  A small armada of paparazzi and supporters parted as Maddy drove into the parking garage of her apartment building off the Halo Strip. Some of the fans had signs that read “SAVE ME MADDY!” spurred by the dream that they too could be saved now without even being a Protection.

  Maddy put on her biggest pair of sunglasses and just stared straight ahead as she pressed her way through the churning madness of photographers and fans.

  Once she finally made it into her apartment, Maddy breathed a sigh of relief and put the keys down on the side table. She sat on the couch, its fine leather squishing underneath her as she sank into it.

  Maddy’s eyes slowly scanned the luxury apartment, the designer furniture, the glossy black granite counter. Her gaze moved out of the window to the bird’s-eye view of thrumming Immortal City beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass. A grey marine layer still hung in the sky, sending a dim cast over the city. Her eyes passed to the open bedroom door, to the wardrobe door that wouldn’t close because of all her Angel clothes inside it. On the wall was a framed copy of her first magazine cover, for Angels Weekly. On the cover, Maddy looked confidently into the camera. I’m here, she seemed to say. I have arrived.

  And for what? Her mind flashed back to the terrified eyes of Rosenberg’s assistant, Lauren. Her eyes as she thought she was about to die. And her automatic acceptance of how Maddy was just going to let her. The face of death. How could Maddy have been so blind? She had forgotten her own commitment. What had drawn her to Guardianship in the first place. It wasn’t Jackson’s fault. It was her own.

&nbs
p; She suddenly felt very miserable indeed.

  Maddy picked up her mobile phone and scrolled through the contacts.

  He picked up on the second ring.

  “Hello?”

  “I didn’t know who else to call,” Maddy said, embarrassed, into the phone.

  “I’ll be right over,” Tom said.

  And he was. Twenty minutes later there was a knock at the door, and Tom was standing there.

  “Hi,” Maddy said quietly.

  “Hi,” Tom said. He lifted up a bag. “I came up through the back entrance. And I brought you some food. I hope you don’t mind Chinese. It was the only thing I saw on the way.”

  Maddy realized with a shock that she hadn’t really eaten anything all day. Tom really was thoughtful. “Thanks,” she said. “I guess I should try to eat.”

  “You’re not going to do anyone any good if you starve to death,” Tom said. He pulled a plate from the cupboard and scooped some vegetable noodles out of the takeaway containers. “The navy trained us to always make sure you’ve eaten. No matter what’s going on.”

  Maddy took the plate of steaming food. She managed to take a bite or two before putting it to the side.

  “I’m sorry about yesterday,” Maddy said miserably.

  “No apologies,” Tom said. “Can we agree on that?”

  “OK,” Maddy said. “No apologies.”

  “He – I mean, Jacks – didn’t seem too happy,” Tom said. The pilot looked over at Maddy.

  “No, he wasn’t,” she said. “It’s just so . . . complicated.” Maddy kept her eyes down. “The whole reason I became a Guardian was for an idea – the idea that those who can protect those who can’t protect themselves. Somehow along the way I forgot that.” She looked out on the darkening Angel City through the window. “And now everything is changing. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

  “Nobody can predict the future,” Tom said.

  “He says it’s my fault.” Maddy glanced up, looking into Tom’s eyes.

  “It’s not,” Tom said, suddenly upset. “Because Jacks can never see things the way you and I do. He doesn’t understand what it’s like. He doesn’t understand looking into your eyes and seeing the hurt, and the confusion, lurking behind . . . this beautiful, confident woman. He has no idea, he’s just an Angel.” Suddenly, like magnets drawn together, they were just inches away from each other. “I can see it, though.” She could almost feel his body heat radiating from his skin.

  With a shock, Maddy suddenly realized her eyes were closing, and the heat of Tom’s breath was tickling her lips. And then his mouth was on hers. Without thinking, she pulled him in, closer, tighter, her lips pressing hard against his as she welcomed the kiss.

  After a moment, they both drew back. Her breath was coming hard and shallow. She tried to look into his eyes, but in lifting her chin, her mouth brushed his, and then his lips were against hers again, and as much as she tried to stop it, she wanted it. Wrapped her arms around him and threw herself into the kiss. His fingers laced through the hair at the nape of her neck. It was all she could do to draw back. He must have felt the force of the kiss fading, and her lips withdrawing, because he suddenly withdrew too. Maddy knew she couldn’t be close to him any longer.

  “We have to stop, please,” she breathed.

  With the last of her self-control, she backed away until her back hit the far wall; then she slid down the wall to her knees. Stunned.

  “I’m sorry,” he stammered, confused, “I didn’t know that was going to happen.” He looked around for his coat. “I should go.”

  “No, don’t— ” Maddy stuttered. “I don’t know.” She sighed. “You don’t have to go.”

  Maddy slowly gathered herself and returned to the couch. As if sleepwalking, Tom sat down on the couch as well.

  “I – it’s not like I planned it or anything,” Tom said, his face slightly burning. “I respect you too much to do that.”

  Maddy’s mind was whirl of confusion. It was as if everything had suddenly flipped upside down in an instant. Everything she felt and believed. That she could have been so attracted to Tom that they suddenly fell into each other’s arms.

  It was like waking up in her home and suddenly discovering there was a whole other wing of it she’d never even known existed. And it’d been there the whole time. Maddy’s world swam before her eyes. Everything she thought true and real was now turned and distorted. But what was the truth?

  There was something about Tom that felt real. Solid, tangible, in the glimmering, transient tempest of the Immortal City, where if you were famous, someone always seemed to want something from you, all the time, always. Where you couldn’t believe what you saw in front of you – it could simply be tricks of the camera. But the pilot next to her, she felt that he was real. She felt a connection to him, a kind that she hadn’t felt before – no, not even with Jacks. Like he truly understood what she had gone through. And she realized she’d been feeling this for a while. She just hadn’t realized it. And apparently he hadn’t either.

  “Tom, when we first started training together, why did you say you had to help me?” Maddy asked. “That you owed something to Professor Archson?”

  Tom took a breath in. “To Susan? I can’t . . . tell you, Maddy. Not now. It’s more than I can get into. I will tell you sometime, I promise.”

  Maddy and Tom sat silently on the couch in the dark room, lit by the flickering blue of the TV in front of them. On screen, President Linden was about to give his press conference. As he neared the podium, he ran his right hand across the front of his suit jacket, smoothing it.

  “Should we turn the volume up?” Tom asked.

  The podium bore the new seal of the Global Angel Commission. Linden stood behind it, his lips moving but still muted. His hair was, as usual, perfect. The current sitting president of the United States stood behind him, off to the side, along with other global officials and their emissaries.

  Maddy hit the button on the remote.

  “It is under the gravest of situations that I speak to you tonight. Many of you may not have agreed with my viewpoints in the past, and many of you may not have even voted for me. But I hope that we can all put our differences aside and agree, as Americans, and global citizens, that something has to be done about the Angel question. The shocking footage of yesterday’s save by Guardian Madison Montgomery Godright confirms that abundantly. This save proves that the Angels’ insistence on high fees and Protection for Pay is just a ruse, that they in fact can save more than one person at a time, and around the globe thousands are dying unnecessarily due to greed and manipulation by the NAS. Although we know very little about the Angels’ methods or training, we have thought since President Grant’s time that the Angels could only save a certain number of people. Protection for Pay was supposed to allocate who got saved – not cruelly, without conscience, let others die.

  “While once we thought that we were the recipients of a great good, we now know that we have been the targets of a much greater deception. It is now, with my powers as president of the Global Angel Commission and president-elect of the United States, that I lead us in this difficult time. In a joint session, what has been known as the Immortals Bill has passed both houses of Congress just moments ago. Simultaneously, across the globe, leaders of the GAC countries have put into effect their own versions of the bill. The Immortals Bill makes the supernatural acts of flying, strength and speed illegal, effective immediately.

  “As of this moment, any Angel caught performing a supernatural act, regardless of purpose, will be subject to arrest and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law by federal marshalls, duly appointed local police officers, or members of the military. Flagrant offences may result in the loss of wings.

  “Thank you, and God bless America.”

  Without a further word, President Linden turned and walked away
from the podium, flanked by his aides. The press room had erupted into a din of shouting and pandemonium on the part of the reporters.

  The anchor back in the studio was in total shock, stuttering: “I think, George, yes, I believe President Linden is done there. And I, uh, believe he just, well, he just banned Angel activities under his powers as world leader of the GAC. The Immortals Bill has been passed and signed. Is that what you heard? That’s what we got back in the studio.”

  The black remote in Maddy’s hand turned the TV back to mute. She and Tom looked at each other, silently. The light from the TV still danced across their faces in the dark.

  “You did a great thing when you saved that girl, Maddy. A hard thing, but a great thing.” Tom squeezed her hand tightly. But Maddy’s hands still felt cold. In fact, her whole body felt a chill as she watched the chaos on the Angel City news station unfold silently on the TV. She slowly pulled her hand away. Tom’s face flashed with disappointment.

  “I’m sorry, I’m just confused,” Maddy said.

  “I didn’t know, Maddy . . . what I felt for you,” Tom said. “But how could I have been so blind?”

  Maddy leaned forward on the couch and hugged her knees with her arms, her mind roaring with thoughts of Tom, and Jacks, and of the passing of the Immortals Bill.

  Angel City would never be the same again. Forces had been put into play that she could not have imagined a year ago. She had wanted to change things with the Angels, but she had never dreamed it would go this way. This would harm Jacks, Kris, Chloe. Jacks. Jacks, who now had his wings back. And now was banned from using them.

  Jacks. A spasm of terrible guilt passed through her as she realized what had just happened between her and Tom. Her own swirling, shifting feelings cascaded inside of her.