I say, “I know that Mason’s running what’s going on down here. And to answer your question, I spent eleven years right here in Hell.”
She turns halfway back.
“You seem a lot saner than I would be. I’ve only been here a couple of days and I’m starting to lose my mind.”
“You want to know something really funny? I’m the one who sent Mason to Hell in the first place.”
She shakes her head.
“This is officially the worst three-way ever.” She finally looks at me again. “I’m sorry I stabbed you.”
“That’s okay. The nonhuman thing helps me heal fast. Also, I can park in handicapped spaces.”
“So, are you going to rescue me or what? Aelita is going to drag me off to Mason soon.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Our deal was I had three days. And Mason is still waiting for soldiers and arguing strategy.”
“Whatever he’s doing, Aelita made it sound like I’m part of it, so I’d really like to not be here.” Her eyes narrow and she looks out the cell door. “How did you get by all the guards?”
“There were only two.”
Her eyebrows go up a fraction of an inch.
“There are a hell of a lot more than two.”
Shit.
I let the angel loose and my senses expand across the floor. The entire ward beyond the hall is filled with Hellion guards. The fuckers were hiding in the locked cells.
“Why don’t they attack?”
“They’re probably waiting for Aelita. She seems to be the one in charge around here.”
There’s no way I can get us past all the guards outside. But we’re only on the third floor.
“Step back. Thiighep backs is going to look strange, but don’t ask any questions. Just jump when I tell you.”
Alice goes back to the wall. I manifest the Gladius and smash it into the floor. It cuts through the stones like a blowtorch through a marshmallow. It doesn’t even make much noise. Just a low sizzle. Three hits and a section of the floor gives way.
“Jump,” I say.
I don’t have to say it twice. She hops into the hole and I follow her. The second-floor crazies are still playing their game. A couple glance at us when we hit the floor, but we’re not nearly as interesting as the game, so they turn away. I hack another hole in the floor and we drop through to the first floor.
There are a few Hellion guards stationed downstairs, but only a couple by the stairs. They’re surprised when Alice and I come falling out of the ceiling, but shocked when they see the Gladius. One of the guards tries to shout, but I take his head off before he can make a sound. Unfortunately, the second guard shouts a Hellion alarm command. I stab him in the heart and he disappears. I try to push Alice into the tunnel, but my hand goes right through her. She’s staring at me. She’s never seen me kill anything before.
“Go,” I shout, and she snaps out of it and jumps into the tunnel. When I get out I pull the door back into place and slash at the tunnel ceiling and walls, knocking down as much debris in front of the door as I can.
I let the Gladius go out and we head back to the manhole. She stops and looks at me a little like she did when I first walked into her cell.
She says, “What the hell was that in your hand?”
“It’s called a Gladius. It’s just something I found I can do.” There’s no goddamn way I’m explaining to her how only angels have them.
“You killed those guys and didn’t even flinch,” she says.
“First off, they weren’t guys, and second, I’ve killed a hell of a lot more than them. How do you think I got here? Do you think I got these scars on the debate team? Killing is what I do down here. And it’s what I still do.”
“But only bad things, right?”