Battle Angel (Immortal City 3)

He was nearing the solarium, where he’d spent so much time with Gabriel. Listening to him talk. Believing his words. Trusting in his justifications.

Jacks cou

ld see now what Gabriel had wanted from him. He needed a powerful and loyal Angel to stay by his side when the inevitable conflicts arose in the Angel community. The Council was unimpeachable, but after the humans were defeated, Jacks was certain that being in league with the demons would not sit well with all the Angels. There would have been problems.

Gabriel could have used someone like Jacks to “smooth over” those problems. And the True Immortal had wanted him to start by getting rid of Kreuz and Sylvester. Kreuz had not only known too much, but he’d also been sharing it with those opposed to Gabriel and the Council. He had needed to be dealt with before it was too late.

But luckily, fate had intervened. Gabriel had overestimated his ability to influence Jackson. He hadn’t counted on the powerful influence Maddy’s absence had proved to be for Jackson.

Jackson’s mind raced with these thoughts as he walked along the entry to the indoor garden. The large glass door was ajar, although the inside lay dark and slumbering. Jackson took a few steps forward.

“Don’t come any closer,” a stern voice said.

A gun barrel sparkled in the darkness. Jacks froze.

Then he saw the silver frames of a pair of familiar glasses reflecting the little light that was coming from down the hall.

“Detective Sylvester?”

“Jackson?”

The detective stepped into the light, letting out a large breath. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same question,” Jackson said.

“I’m sorry, I thought I had the place to myself. You gave me a little scare,” Sylvester admitted.

“Wait. What were you hoping to do by coming here?” Jacks looked dubiously at the service revolver, now back in its holster, that the detective had just pulled on him.

“To be honest, I hadn’t really thought that far. I was going to think of something. I couldn’t get in touch with any of the others. Radios, cell phones, landlines—everything is down. It’s chaos out there,” Sylvester said. “I wasn’t about to bring Susan along with me. I told her I knew how to get you here. If I’d told the truth, she would have never let me come alone.”

“Turns out it was closer to the truth than you’d thought. I’m here now,” Jacks said. “Louis was able to get me a message. Gabriel. That was it. But it was enough. Louis is no fool. But how did he figure it out?”

“Apparently Cassius Holywaine flipped at the last minute. Engineered Louis’s escape.”

“Cassius from the Council of Twelve?” Jacks asked.

“He had an attack of conscience,” Sylvester said. “He told Louis that Gabriel was behind all of this and broke Louis out. Louis made it. Cassius wasn’t so lucky.” The detective shook his head. “It was so obvious and I was blind to it,” Sylvester said. “Hiding in plain sight. Whatever pieties Gabriel may show in public, he’s never been a friend to humanity. Rather than work for them, why not just create a world without humans and take everything for himself?”

“Yeah, without humans, but with demons,” Jacks said. “What I don’t understand is, why the Dark Ones? What did Gabriel think was going to happen after the demons destroyed everything and made Earth their home?”

“Demons were once Angels—remember that,” Sylvester said. “Fallen Angels.”

“But they chose the dark path themselves,” Jackson said.

“Yes, and that’s the same path Gabriel is choosing for all the Angels,” Sylvester said. “Gabriel doesn’t see much difference between Angels and Demons, since both are no longer connected to Home. He sees the difference only as a matter of degree. Gabriel knows that Angels and Demons were becoming more alike than anyone would want to admit. Just look at what Protection for Pay has done to the Guardians.”

“And if he can control the demons now, he’ll be able to control them afterward,” Jacks said grimly. “He’ll have a Dark Army to ensure that no one else can challenge him on Earth—forever.”

“It’s not too late, though, Jacks. You’re here now,” Sylvester said. A distant rumble from outside sounded through the tunnel. “What’s going out there?”

“It’s not good,” Jackson said. “Even with the full Angel battalion . . . the demons just don’t stop.”

“Your stepfather . . . ?” Sylvester tentatively asked. He knew not all the Angels had turned against the Council.

“Mark’s out there right now,” Jacks said. “Fighting.”

Sylvester and Jackson had reached a far corner of the sanctuary when all of a sudden a voice spoke up.