Immortal City (Immortal City 1)

“We need to figure out a way to get out of the city. Will you help us?”

Sylvester looked back and forth between them with searching eyes, then nodded.

“Yes, of course.”

“Thank you,” Jacks said, giving him an appreciative nod. Maddy watched as despair washed in waves over his face. She wondered if he was replaying the detective’s words in his head, or Kevin’s words, or maybe even Mark’s. Was he remembering the chase through the skyline or the demon? Maddy wished she could know what he was thin

king. That she could help. Jacks got up and left the living room. He went out to the tiny balcony and slumped down in a chair. After a moment, Maddy followed.

The balcony faced the street, with a view of Sunset and of East Angel City. Jacks sat in one of the rusted metal chairs. A few dead plants sat in pots on a wire table. Maddy sat in the chair next to him. They watched the first light of the gray dawn spread along the streets.

“Everything I’ve believed in is a lie, Maddy,” Jacks muttered. “Everything I’ve worked for since I was ten. Angels aren’t the heroes. We’re the villains.”

Maddy shook her head firmly. “You are not a villain,” she said.

He looked at her with searching, intense eyes. “Will you come with me? Leave the city. I mean, haven’t you ever just wanted to get out of here?”

It was all she had ever wanted. She had always imagined it would be with her bags packed for college, and not escaping as a fugitive. But it was still leaving, all the same.

“Yes,” she said. It was the only answer. Not just because it was what she had always wanted, but because, she suddenly realized, she was going wherever Jacks was going. It was just like when he had invited her to the party and asked her to come with him on the rainy rooftop. There was only ever one answer.

“Good. We’ll leave this morning and never come back to Angel City again.”

He smiled at her, but the smile was edged with sadness. Reaching over, she placed her hand over his on the table. Just as he had done for her at her house, she supported him by saying the most important thing she could say. Nothing at all.

She felt the contours of his hand around hers and realized it was becoming familiar to her. Like much of him. Sitting next to him in silence, Maddy was surprised to realize she was totally happy in this moment. It was incredible. She wasn’t used to being happy. She didn’t want it to end.

“It’s going to be dangerous,” Jacks said, interrupting the silence.

“I know,” Maddy said. She thought about what would be involved in trying to escape Angel City while not being recognized. Her stomach filled with a heavy feeling. There was something she was missing, even if she couldn’t put her finger on it.

“I’m willing to risk it if you are,” he said.

“Yeah,” Maddy said. “Me too.”

“We’ll be okay so long as we’re together,” he said, leaning over and putting his lips in her hair.

Maddy reached up and put her hand on his face. “We will, together.”

They were silent a moment longer before Maddy heard Sylvester shuffling around inside.

“We should get going,” Jacks said, drawing away.

They got up and went back into the apartment, leaving the balcony and the dawn, silent behind them.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Kevin sat motionless in the sea of empty tables in Kevin’s Diner. He wouldn’t be opening today. The sound of silence in the usually bustling dining room was so loud it was nearly overwhelming.

After the Angels left, he had just wandered about the abandoned tables and booths. He thought about going home, but he didn’t know if he could face the house without Maddy, if he could look at the gaping, jagged windows that had swallowed her into the night. So he had decided to stay in the restaurant, but it wasn’t much better. He still hadn’t slept.

When dawn finally came, he rose from his seat and shuffled back into the kitchen. There was no great hurry. The cold kitchen smelled of stale grease and cleaning solvent. He picked up the coffeepot to rinse it out, but it was already clean. He checked the burners again to make sure they were off. They were. He picked up the broom from the corner and ran it over the floor. The bristles against the linoleum made the only sound in the restaurant. He stopped after a moment and put the broom back. Silent again. Absolute stillness. His gaze drifted to the counter, where he was surprised to see Maddy’s notepad. He must not have noticed it in the dark last night. It was sitting haphazardly where she had thrown it after her last shift. When had that even been? He couldn’t remember. It seemed like ages ago. Another life.

He went to the notepad and picked it up. He flipped through the pages. He looked at her scrawl, which he always criticized her for. Even now he could barely read it. Did that say with onions? Or no onions? It’s unreadable, he used to scold her. I can’t cook the food if I can’t read your writing. He would be okay with it now, he thought. He would be fine with however she wrote the orders, if only she were here to write them. He set the notepad back down and leaned against the fryer, fighting the first tears he had felt in years.

The steel lock of the front door banged as someone tried to open it, followed by a knock on the glass.

“We’re closed!” Kevin yelled from the kitchen. The knock came again. Kevin looked up. He could see a silhouette on the other side of the door framed by the colorless glow of the morning.