Battle Angel (Immortal City 3)

“Jacks, don’t talk like that,” Maddy pleaded. “You will come back.”

“Maddy, it’s okay. You know what we’re facing here.” Jacks put his hand on hers. “When I’m—if I’m not here, find Sylvester. He and Susan will be able to help you, get you to safety.”

“I’m not going to abandon Angel City, Jacks.”

“Sometimes it’s not about what you want. Everyone needs you, Maddy. You can help coordinate the resistance if Angel City falls. We will do our best to slow the demons down—”

“I’m not saying goodbye.”

“—so you can keep working,” Jacks went on, clearly unable to face this difficult moment with Maddy head-on. “Linden will be waiting for you out east. The demons can only move so fast. You might be able to come up with a solution. Maybe find the bastard that’s controlling these things. The resistance can survive.”

“You’re going to find the leader, Jacks. We already talked about this,” Maddy said, but even she could hear the note of desperation in her voice. “You’re going to make it.”

“Well, if there’s one thing I know, Maddy, it’s that you’re going to make it. You need to make it. You’re a symbol, Maddy. What you stand for is larger than yourself. You need to survive. Me? I was just another spoiled Angel, and then I became something worse than that: a has-been. Bitter about everything I didn’t have, ungrateful for the things I did. I pushed you away because I was angry and sad and didn’t know what else to do. For some reason I’ve been given a second chance, and I want to make the most of it.”

“What if I don’t want to be a symbol, Jacks? What if I want to fight? I’m a Battle Angel—”

“I’ve already talked to Linden. It’s a precondition for our help. Your safety. There’s no getting around it.”

“No! I’m going to fight,” Maddy said. “I have to! You can’t just force me to run away, Jacks. You can’t always protect me.”

“I can try,” Jacks said. “I am here on this earth to be a hero, and I’ve only just recently realized that, up until now, I’ve failed at that. But today I get to be one. It’s an honor. And you are going to play a larger part. You have to survive, Maddy. You will survive.”

Jacks leaned down and kissed her. His lips were light against hers, but he let them linger there for a moment. And Maddy let them linger, too. She had no choice in the matter; it was as if all of her soul and all of her body were possessed by Jackson’s presence.

“Think of me,” he said.

“I will,” she whispered.

Jacks took her hand and put it against her heart. “I’m here with you.”

Maddy was silent as the Angel walked along the flight deck to his destiny.

• • •

Jackson had almost reached the rest of his squadron of Angels when he heard a voice speaking from behind him.

“Godspeed.”

Jacks turned around. It was Tom, still with a large bandage on his head from the crash.

“I just wanted to say . . . thank you,” Tom said. “For finding me out there.” He motioned to the expansive ocean. “But mostly just for coming. You and your Angels. You’ve given the people some hope.” He motioned toward Angel City, which, from their vantage on the carrier, seemed close enough almost to touch.

Jackson didn’t say anything. He knew how hard this was for Tom after everything that had happened. Silence hung between them as they studied each other. The pilot in his flight suit, the Angel in his black battle regalia. Tom and Jacks had never been able to be in the same room longer than five minutes without shouting at each other. Now they had a moment to size each other up in thoughtful silence.

“She loves you, you know,” Tom said.

Jacks stayed quiet for a moment, looking down at the flight deck. Then he met eyes with Tom. “Take good care of her.”

“What?” Tom said.

Jackson just turned and started walking toward the stairs to the hangar, where the rest of the Immortals were waiting. The ocean wind whipped his hair as he walked away.

“Godspeed!” Tom shouted after him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” But he received no reply.

From the side of the flight deck, three military policemen and ensigns materialized and approached Tom. The pilot looked at them, annoyed.

“What is it?” Tom said.