Dark Angel Box Set

by Hanna Peach

Alyx blinked, breaking out of her thoughts. “Me?” Did this mean that they were okay again? Had she been forgiven?

  Israel shrugged. “You’re the only one here who can help.”

  The only one here who could help. Of course. Silly girl. Israel would only ask for her help at the moment if he had no other choice.

  “Sure,” Alyx said, trying to sound upbeat even though her heart began to pound, knowing full well that they would have to talk. “Whatever you need.”

  Chapter 27

  That night, Alyx and Israel stood in the back garden of Aradale. The moon had all but disappeared. The smallest sliver gave off a dim, icy light. It was enough, however, for Alyx to see the discontent on Israel’s face.

  “If you just tell me who it is, I could go and you wouldn’t have to,” said Alyx.

  “I told you,” Israel said, sounding frustrated, “I made him a promise that I wouldn’t reveal his secret to anyone. It’s not my story to tell, it’s his.”

  “But it’d be safer if you stayed here,” said Alyx. “I’m sure he − whoever he is − if he’s a friend of yours, would understand.”

  Israel frowned at her. “You’re a hypocrite, you know that?”

  Alyx started. “What?”

  “You get angry when other people question your ability to deal with things yourself, yet you think it’s perfectly fine to keep treating me like I’m this useless child. I’m not a complete idiot, you know. I mean, okay, maybe I was a bit stupid when I was running around fighting the Darkened by myself, but I was angry and everyone does stupid things when they’re angry. And back then I didn’t think I had anything to left to lose, but now...things are different.” Israel stopped speaking and stared at Alyx.

  Her frown softened and the angry retort fell away from her lips as the words he just said sank in. Suddenly she could see the hurt in his face hiding under the angry lines, and she wondered how long it had been there without her noticing.

  “I...” she said. Her mouth gaped as she tried to think of something else to say, something that would reassure him. Something that would begin to make things better. “I...don’t think you’re useless.”

  Israel sighed. “We have things to talk about, Alyx. Unfinished things. But not now. Now we have bigger things to worry about. Bigger than you and me. Like finding this guy who could help us break into a gallery. So can we just do this?”

  Alyx flinched when she heard his tone. “We have things to talk about. Unfinished things…” Alyx nodded, trying not to read too much into what Israel was implying. He wanted to finish things with her. “Okay. Let’s go.”

  Israel stepped towards her. Then he looked uncertain. “How do you want to do this? I mean, should I hold you from the front or...”

  The realization of what he was asking caused her mouth to go dry. “Um, yes. Sure.”

  He stepped up close to her. So close she could feel the warmth coming off his skin. The smell of him, sweet and musky, made her eyes close under the flood of memories from the last time they were this close. He slipped his hands gently, as if she were breakable, under her arms and around her waist. She had to bite her lip so as not to gasp. Her heart began to beat faster and her body tingled as if she were about to go into battle.

  Oh wretched heart, oh weak heart, to still react this way at his touch. Even a touch with only practical intentions behind it. Damned heart for being a thing that wouldn’t be told what to do.

  “Are you okay?” Israel’s voice ruffled across her hair.

  “Fine.” Alyx straightened up. “Hang on.”

  Soon they were hovering over the familiar skyline of Saint Joseph. Alyx felt her nerves winding and coiling like springs ready to pop. It was a bad idea coming back here.

  Israel directed her towards a quiet but dirty area of the docks and they dropped down the side of a quiet warehouse, unnoticed by anyone. Their shoes made the slightest clatter as they stepped down to street level. Alyx felt her body grow cold when Israel pulled away from her.

  Israel moved along the walls, through the skinny lane towards the street that traveled parallel to where the edge of the docks met the water. Alyx unsheathed a small dagger just in case and followed.

  Israel came to where the lane met the street. He glanced both ways. Then moved quietly to the center of the road. What was he doing? Alyx moved quickly to follow him.

  When she came up beside him, Israel was pulling at a manhole. Alyx raised an eyebrow at him. “Seriously?”

  Israel snorted. “When have I ever joked about going down manholes?”

  Israel pulled a small torch from his pocket and shined it into the dark hole. The light seemed to be swallowed by the blackness. “Ladies first,” he said.

  “God, the smell doesn’t get any easier to deal with, does it?”

  They dropped down into the dark. Alyx guessed that they were heading towards The Saint’s Revenge, an abandoned subway station which Israel’s old street gang, the Clan of the Saints, had converted into a hideout and home. This meant that the hacker must be one of them.

  “Razorback?” Alyx asked some way down the tunnels. His name conjured memories of the tall, slim but muscular pirate with a mohawk colored haphazardly in green and blue pieces. The image didn’t gel.

  “I’m not saying.”

  “Terrapin?” Alyx tried to imagine the rough-looking, tattooed but speechless giant being a world-renowned hacker, but she couldn’t.

  “Alyx, seriously.”

  Alyx growled in frustration. Israel was still refusing to name this mysterious hacker whose assistance they were seeking. “It’s not like I’m not going to find out soon anyway.”

  “So you can wait just a little bit longer then. We’re here.” Israel’s torch shined on a grated door ahead. Through the grates Alyx could hear the hum of noise and yelling. Israel pushed open the door, which squeaked on its hinges.

  Terrapin spotted them first and he lumbered towards them like a happy bear. Soon Alyx and Israel were surrounded by the rest of the Saints clan with hugs for Alyx and backslapping and rough-housing for Israel. Alyx giggled as Razorback recounted an outlandish story for her, punctuated by nods and wild hand gestures by Terrapin.

  “Didn’t think we’d be seeing you again so soon.” A booming and familiar voice caused a rush of joy in Alyx.

  “Mason,” Alyx detangled herself from the group and launched herself at the stocky, bearded leader of the Saints Clan.

  His rough hands closed around her. “How are yer, angel?” he whispered. “Keeping this one out of trouble?” He nodded to Israel, who was approaching them.

  Alyx raised an eyebrow. “Really? You think I have any chance of controlling him?”

  Mason grinned. “You have more hope than the rest of us.” Mason stepped forward to greet Israel.

  “Can we talk, Mason? In private?” Alyx heard Israel say in a low voice to Mason.

  Mason? Really? Alyx stepped closer to them.

  “Don’t like the sounds of this, kid,” she heard Mason say. “And here I thought this was a social call ’cause you missed us.” Mason turned and started walking to his room in one of the abandoned carriages. Israel and Alyx followed.

  Mason closed the door and locked it behind them. His compartment, surprisingly enough, wasn’t any bigger or grander than the compartment that Alyx had been allocated when Israel and she were first down here.

  “I would have thought that you’d have the biggest compartment, Mason,” Alyx said as she looked around.

  “I wear the title of Captain only because the men here want me to. I direct them and manage them, but in no way do I command them. We’re all equals down here.”

  Mason went over to a small cupboard and lowered the door. It would have been a cupboard that had once stored liquor, but as Mason didn’t drink, the space was now filled with enamel tins and a kettle. Israel started to speak but Mason shushed him. “Not ’til we’ve settled in with some tea, Scrapper. I can tell this conversation is going to require tea.”

  Ma
son served Israel and Alyx their tea in mismatched china cups. Alyx’s teacup had a tiny chip in the handle. Then Mason settled against the edge of the small desk with his own cup looking mighty out of place in his thick hands. “Now, what’s this about?”

  “We need your help,” Israel started. “The Darkened are going around stealing this substance called Black Stone. This stuff is bad, Mason. Real bad. We can’t let them have any more of it. We’ve found a large chunk of it that has been turned into a sculpture. If we could, say, get control of the gallery’s security system, just for a few minutes, then we have a chance of getting our hands on this statue so we can relocate it to a safe place before the Darkened get hold of it. And you can bet that when they attempt to take the Black Stone, it won’t be as subtle as what we’re trying to do. Mortals will die.”

  Mason looked startled, then his face began to contort with what looked like anger. “I see. You want me to...” his voice trailed off and he growled and rubbed his face with his hands. “What you’re asking me to do...”

  “I’m sorry, Mason. We’re fresh out of luck on this one. Otherwise I wouldn’t have asked.”

  Mason lifted his face from his hands, glaring at Israel, then he looked over to Alyx with a questioning expression on his face.

  “I haven’t told her, Mase. I didn’t think it was my place.”

  Alyx could see the struggle playing out on Mason’s face and knew that he needed to work this out in silence.

  “How bad is this stuff?” Mason asked.

  “Bad,” said Israel. “It stops the healing powers of Alyx and her kind. It makes them so much easier to kill. The Darkened are turning it into weapons. They’re looking to mount a full-on war. If Alyx’s people can’t protect us then...Earth is doomed.”

  Mason sighed and pressed his lips together in a grim line. He turned to Alyx. “I may have left out some facts when I told you my sob story last time you were here, lovey.” He paused for a moment to gulp his tea before continuing. “I used to work in IT security. I was the youngest Head of Security for the Deitepalom Bank. I did something stupid and got fired. I was bitter about the whole thing. I tried to hack the system that I built, to show them that they needed me. I got caught and did jail time. That’s when my wife left me and took everything. I vowed never to do it again. So you see, even after you’ve told me the reason behind why you want to do what you want to do...I...I want to help. I do,” Mason took a deep breath, “but I have a record. If I get caught, they’re locking the cell and throwing away the key. Do you understand?”

  Alyx stood up, slipping her teacup onto a side table. She stepped up to Mason and placed her hands on his shoulders. “It’s okay, Mason. I understand. We’ll find another way.” Alyx turned to Israel. “We should go. The longer we stay in Saint Joseph the more dangerous it is for us.” Then, turning back to Mason, “Thanks for telling me. You didn’t have to. I’ll protect your secret with my life, don’t worry about that.”

  But Israel didn’t follow her to the door. “They’ve already started killing them, Mase. Alyx’s people have already started dying,” said Israel quietly.

  “This true, Alyx?” Mason asked as Alyx placed her hand on the door handle.

  “It’s not your problem, Mason. Israel, let’s go.”

  “No. Wait,” said Mason. “Perhaps we can come to some sort of compromise...some sort of mid-way where I can still help you but I don’t have to do the dirty work myself.”

  Alyx let out a breath. “Only if you’re sure, Mason.”

  Mason nodded. “For you, my dear. Only for you.”

  “Thank you.” Alyx smiled. Mason had given her a sliver of hope in this crazy suicidal plan. “Anything you can do to help. Anything.”

  Mason nodded. “Take me to your base of operations. I need to see what we’re working with.”

  Chapter 28

  After Mason agreed to help them, Alyx dropped Israel off at Aradale and told him to prepare Tobias and the others for Mason’s arrival. Alyx then returned for Mason, who agreed to meet her at a particular street corner of Saint Joseph in exactly two hours. This gave Mason enough time to organize an excuse for his leaving and make preparations to leave his command in proper hands.

  Mason now stood with Alyx on the streets of Saint Joseph as she blindfolded him.

  “Kinky,” he said, his folded arms showing her his mild displeasure. “Is this really necessary?”

  “I’m sorry, Mason,” Alyx said, “but the sanctuary location is supposed to be kept secret. The others will be more accepting of my bringing you there if you don’t actually know where it is.”

  “They don’t know I’m coming?”

  “Well, I told Israel to make preparations for you, but no, they don’t know exactly that you’re coming...”

  “Great. Walkin’ blindfolded into a community of supernaturals,” he mumbled.

  Flying actually, Alyx thought. “Hang on, then.” She guided his hands around her shoulders and rocketed them both up into the night sky.

  * * *

  Less than an hour later, Alyx landed them both in the courtyard garden in the middle of Aradale. Most of the building was dark.

  “We’re here,” she said.

  Mason took off his blindfold and looked around. He wobbled a bit on his first step. “Some flight that was,” he said. Then a grin broke out over his face and he ruffled Alyx’s hair with his large hand.

  “Hey, quit it,” Alyx ducked out of his reach.

  “Jesus, lass, risking jail time was bloody worth that flight alone. Christ! I don’t know how you can stand to walk, having the power of flight like that.”

  Alyx laughed. “You liked it, huh?”

  Mason’s enthusiasm threatened to spill out far into the night.

  “Calm down, Mason.” She grabbed his arm. “You’ll wake the neighbors.”

  “Aye, lassy.” Mason straightened up and forced a serious look to his face. “Take me to your leader.” He maintained his serious expression for another few seconds before bursting out into laughter again. “Take me to your...oh Christ...” more laughter, “...I’ve always wanted to say that.”

  Alyx shook her head. “Come on.”

  There were few Seraphim up at this early hour. The dawn was just cracking the horizon as Alyx and Mason entered the Aradale building through the back door, which Alyx unlocked with her allocated key. They passed through to Tobias’s office uninterrupted.

  In Tobias’s office, the usual group was already there, gathered around the round desk, some of them nursing cups of steaming dandelion and honeydew tea. The room was warm and smelled sweet from the tea. It smelled just like the early morning post-patrole debriefing sessions in Michaelea, where Alyx and her warrior-flock nursed mugs of steaming drink, gathered like a family around Symon, their flock leader. Alyx felt a spear of loss so sharp that it brought a tear to her eye and a soft hiss to her lips. Memories of the smiling faces of her old warrior friends filtered through her mind, finishing up on one bright-eyed, expressive face with pink cheeks like a cherub.

  Elysia.

  Alyx pushed these images away. This pain would be the mortar to harden her resolve. I’ll get them. I’ll get all of them. For you, Elysia.

  Israel sprang forward to greet Mason and begun introducing him to the others around the room. There was an extra chair, she noted, placed next to Israel, leaving two empty chairs between what had been Israel’s chair and where Jordan now sat, watching. Alyx took the seat next to Jordan so that Mason could sit between Israel and her.

  Jordan leaned towards her and his lips brushed her ear. “Who is this...Mason? Can he be trusted?”

  As Mason and Israel reached their chairs, Israel had a small frown pressing at his eyebrows as he watched Alyx.

  Alyx spoke quietly so only Jordan could hear. “Mason and his men saved us from two lightwarriors. I trust him and his men implicitly.”

  Alyx could see Jordan pulling back from her ear just enough to study Mason, who was lowering himself into what had
been Israel’s chair. That left the seat next to her for Israel. Great.

  “If you trust him, then I do too.” Jordan spoke loud enough that Alyx had no doubt Israel had heard him. She could feel Israel flinch as he lowered himself into the seat next to her. Alyx chanced a glance at Israel, but he was refusing to look at her, his eyes staring unblinkingly at Tobias.

  Tobias began, “Thank you, Mason, for coming and agreeing to help us. Every second is precious in this situation, so forgive me if I skip the extended formalities.”

  “That’s fine,” said Mason, his voice taking on a more proper tone than Alyx had ever heard from him. “What kind of information do you have on the sculpture and its location?”

  “Jordan and Alyx did some reconnaissance work, which we will show you now. Feel free to stop it at any point or to ask any questions.” Tobias nodded towards Dianne and she directed a MemoryViewer in one hand towards the large screen against the far wall. An image of the front of the Galleria appeared from Jordan’s eyes.

  “Just keep in mind that this memory is a copy, hence it is a mirror image,” Jordan said.

  “I’m not gonna ask how you managed that,” Mason mumbled as the memory played through and Jordan commentated.

  When the memory stopped, Mason was silent for a moment. “I think I can help you with their security system...but the rest of it...” Mason held up his palms. “I can’t get involved.”

  Tobias smiled, “That’s more than enough. We will take whatever help you can offer us.”

  Mason nodded. “I can create a small device that, if installed into the security system properly, will allow you to bypass the system when it is activated remotely. It will deactivate any alarms as well as freezing any video streaming so that you don’t show up on any cameras.”

  “How long will it take until we can get this device?” asked Alyx.

  “Four, five days, maybe. Maybe less.”

  “We don’t have that much time,” grumbled Marin. “More of us are going to die.”

  “Can you have it done by tomorrow morning?” asked Alyx. “That’s a bit longer than a day.”