Battle Angel (Immortal City 3)

“I’m fine. It hurts. My arm is burned and I’ll probably always have a scar. But I’m luckier than some.” Maddy’s voice faltered.

“What is it?” Kevin asked, a look of anticipated dread falling upon his face as he looked at his niece.

“Tom . . . Tom’s dead, Uncle Kevin,” she managed.

“What?” Kevin said, unable to contain his shock.

“He’s gone. I made a choice to protect Jacks, and then Tom had to die protecting me.” Maddy began crying silently. She knew this must be affecting her uncle: He and Tom had developed a close bond. No matter how hard she tried, every thought brought her back to Tom’s sacrifice.

Kevin searched for the right words. “This was a war, Maddy. You’re not responsible for what happened in a war.”

“But I’m the one who’s supposed to be a Guardian,” Maddy responded. “And I couldn’t save him. I couldn’t even save myself.”

Kevin put his hand on her shoulder. Maddy leaned in and let him hug her. He was careful not to press against her burned arm.

“It’s not your fault,” Kevin said. “It’s the fault of Gabriel, of the demons, the Council. It’s the fault of the whole system, which had become rotten to its core. Your father knew this twenty years ago, which is why he started fighting against the NAS.”

“I couldn’t not go after Jacks,” Maddy said. “I felt it so deep.”

Kevin looked down at her with gentle eyes. “Tom felt the same way about you.”

Maddy shed a few silent tears. “Why is everything always so complicated?”

Kevin just squeezed her tighter.

Maddy felt emptied out. And so tired. So, so tired.

“Will I ever be able to forget?” she asked.

“You will never forget,” Kevin said. “But you will be able to live. And that’s what those who have fallen would have wanted. That’s what my sister, your mother, would have wanted. And your father. And now, Tom.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Donations were streaming in from a grateful world to Angel City, which had served as the bulwark against the demon onslaught for the rest of the Earth. A horrified globe had watched the destruction unfold, and knew that if the Immortal City hadn’t made a stand, they would have been next.

Now supplies, money, and volunteers were streaming in to help pick up the pieces and rebuild a new Angel City. Instead of looking at it as a tragedy, many were trying to see it as an opportunity to look ahead to a brighter future.

That, and to think about what role the Immortals were going to have in it. That was the question on everyone’s minds.

Maddy did not have time for such questions, however. Not yet, at least. Four days after the end of the battle, she moved along what remained of the Walk of Angels. The famous street had been transformed into an open-air square for citizens to pay tribute to the Angels and humans who had sacrificed their lives in the battle against the demons. People brought flowers, left poems, and placed framed photos of those who’d been lost.

The warm sun spilled across the street, a welcome reminder that not all had been transformed. Maddy walked silently toward an open spot along the makeshift memorial.

Despite her large sunglasses, someone in the crowd recognized her.

“It’s Maddy!” a voice cried out.

Cameras began whirring, and people started shouting. Just like in the old days, when paparazzi and hordes of devoted fans would swarm around exclusive events. But as Maddy made her way to the memorial fence, the crowd grew quiet and respectfully parted to let her through. She carried a brown shopping bag under one arm and a bouquet of flowers in her other hand.

The crowd remained hushed. A news camera was trained on her, quietly capturing the moment. They knew the instrumental role she had played in defeating the demons, and even though everyone was eager to hear what she had to say about the aftermath, they knew better than to bother her during such an emotional time.

Maddy opened the paper bag, pulled out a framed photo, and placed it along the fence. It was of Tom, standing by an F-18 fighter jet, grinning. The photo had been taken right after his graduation from flight school, and he looked completely at home. The label on the frame read: 1ST LIEUTENANT THOMAS A. COOPER, UNITED STATES NAVY.

The reason for Maddy’s dark glasses became apparent, as her eyes began to well up with tears, thinking about what Tom had done for her. He had let her save Jackson and, ultimately, the city.

Next Maddy arranged the flowers, placing them in a vase that had also been in the bag. She paused for a minute, studying the photo before her, then turned to face the large crowd.

She took in each and every face of those who had also lost someone. These were faces that needed hope.