Natural Born Angel (Immortal City 2)

By far the biggest number of calls and texts had come from Darcy, who was ecstatic that her client had finally got her wings. “We’re going to get DOUBLE for every appearance now, do you know that???” one of Darcy’s jubilant texts had stated. No matter that Maddy hadn’t even done any “appearances” at all yet.

Darcy’s most recent text surprisingly didn’t even make Maddy too anxious: “Everything’s lined up for magazine. It starts at ten, don’t be too late. TEXT ME TO CONFIRM!”

After what had seemed like days and days of negotiations between her and Darcy last month, Maddy had agreed to do a bit of publicity. She knew she was going to have to start making concessions to the Angel way of life soon if she was going to become a Guardian. So she agreed to do a photo shoot with Seventeen right after she got her wings. And apparently Darcy had taken that literally to mean right after. Maddy had to smile – Darcy was on top of her stuff.

On her way out to the shoot, Maddy remembered to text Jacks: “It was so great. Can’t wait to tell you about it in person. Now I’m a slave to Darcy. Hopefully she won’t make it too painful! J”

After somehow making it through the roiling mass of photographers and fans outside Kevin’s house, Maddy drove to the address in West Angel City where Darcy told her the studio was. Her route took her past Angel Boulevard, and with a shock, she realized the gigantic four-storey screen was playing the shaky SaveTube footage of her flying the night before, with the crawl underneath: “OVERNIGHT ANGEL SENSATION MADDY MONTGOMERY GETS WINGS!” She slunk slightly down in her car, hoping she could just get all the way to La Brea without being recognized and mobbed.

The photo shoot didn’t seem so bad. In fact, Maddy was more than a little surprised to realize she was enjoying herself. Suddenly she couldn’t quite remember what she had been so opposed to in the first place. She even helped pick out one of the outfits. The energy of the cameras, of the people primping and fussing – it had the same feel as flying had the night before: exhilaration. And extending her wings didn’t hurt as much this time.

She was allowed to keep her photo-shoot clothes, and on her way out she couldn’t help noticing the paparazzi. Impulsively, she paused just long enough for them to get their shots of the amazing skirt and top.

All the attention today, the focus on her at the photo-shoot, her future as a potential Guardian: after years of being the wallflower at ACHS, Maddy had to admit it was kind of nice to be treated like the belle of the ball for once.

If she was choosing this path, why not enjoy it a little?

Early light clouds had cleared and it had turned into a classic Angel City day by the time she left the shoot and drove east along Melrose – crystal blue skies, a warm wind rustling the fronds of the swaying palms lining the street as the sun bore down on the beautiful Angels, Protections, and those who wanted to be them. The guard at the entrance to the Guardian training campus just grinned when Maddy pulled up.

“Congratulations,” he said, lifting the gate to let her in.

“Thanks,” Maddy said, smiling back. Was there anyone in Angel City who didn’t know about her wings by this point?

Sadie was waiting for her in the car park with her trademark golf cart.

“Mr Kreuz would like to see you,” she said in a sugary voice.

Inside Kreuz’s office, his second assistant leaned over her desk, listening to a phone call on her headset as she took notes. She lifted her finger up, signifying it would be just a moment. Maddy could hear Kreuz’s voice rise and yell every once in a while from the other room. He kept Maddy waiting for only a few minutes, during which time no less than ten “Maddy Montgomery” blog alerts went off on her phone, and Darcy emailed her to let her know how fantastically she’d done at the Seventeen shoot.

Maddy could tell from the relative silence in the other office that Louis had finished his phone call, and a minute later Sadie showed her into the training boss’s office. He sat in his chair over his desk, splitting concentration between his laptop and a stack of papers. He wore a pinstriped suit and shiny brown Italian leather loafers. His cigar chugged out massive plumes of smoke, like an old-time smokestack.

He didn’t look up as Maddy came in.

Maddy started to speak, but her tongue caught in the back of her throat. She just stood there, planted a metre inside the now-closed door, wondering how awkward Kreuz was going to let things get. She studied the photos on the walls, the details of the oak panelling, the plushness of the thick carpet. After a minute or so, Kreuz finished signing a document and finally spoke, still without looking up. His voice came like a clap of thunder: “Wings, huh?”

Maddy, who had thought she’d be ready, found herself tongue-tied.

“Yes, I, uh— ”

“Think you’re special?” He looked up narrowly at Maddy, his meaty hand using his lit cigar to point at her. “Every Angel has wings, you know that.”

He looked back down, shuffling through another paper and puffing on his cigar. After a moment, he peered up at Maddy again, who stood stock-still.

“You know the worst thing an Angel can do?” He arched an eyebrow.

“I don’t know,” Maddy admitted.

“Believe her own press,” Kreuz stated.

He leaned back in his chair and spun slightly so that he could see out of the window and look at the manicured grounds of the Angel training facilities.

“My job is to make sure that my nominees go out there, get Commissioned, and are the best Guardians they can possibly be. I come from the golden age of Guardians. Things were different. There was no question what an Angel stood for in this town. Nowadays the scandals and the public appearances and events and the rehabs and the reality shows, and Angels make millions and millions outside of Guardianship in endorsements, products and anything else we can dip our wings into. But for me, it’s about the saves. No matter what.”

He turned away from the window to face Maddy.

“Do you think you’re any different, kid?” he asked.

“No, Mr Kreuz.”