Natural Born Angel (Immortal City 2)

The host turned to the audience: “Folks, why don’t we give a hand and get Jackson Godspeed out here?”

The APPLAUSE light lit up, and the crowd started clapping and cheering. Maddy motioned with her hand for Jacks to come out, and Darcy gave a little shove. If he had felt slightly awkward for two seconds, it didn’t show as soon as Jacks got on camera. His instinct, natural charm and training kicked in. He strode on to the set confidently, looking like the perfect Angel he was in his tailored suit. He raised a hand and waved at the audience as they cheered his arrival.

He shook hands with Taylor and then sat down on a stool next to Maddy that an assistant brought out on stage for him.

“Thanks, Taylor, good to see you.”

“Great to have you back on, Jackson. It’s been too long!”

Jackson looked into the white, glaring studio lights. It had been a while. He blinked, letting his eyes get used to them.

“So . . . you two have been dating for almost a year now?”

“That’s right, Taylor.”

“And are things getting a little more . . . serious now that Maddy has her wings, Jackson?” Taylor asked, raising an eyebrow. All kinds of unfounded rumours had been swirling that Jacks had proposed marriage now that Maddy had got her wings.

“You know, we’re both really young,” Jacks said, “and Maddy is focusing on her training right now. But we really enjoy spending time together.” Jacks smiled his perfectly practised smile and took Maddy’s hand in his.

Although Maddy’s face was turning red despite her best attempts to hide her embarrassment, she still was able to smile and nod in agreement. She looked into Jackson’s eyes.

“He’s a good Angel to have around,” Maddy said.

“AWWWW,” the audience collectively said.

“And speaking of Guardian careers, Jackson, we’re all waiting to hear when Jackson Godspeed will be back out in the spotlight, saving people.”

Jacks actually felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead. His pulse quickened, although he tamped down any nervousness.

“Well, you know, we’re just stepping back and seeing how things go. As you know, I had a, uh. . .”

Jacks trailed off. The lights had started to become even more and more blinding in his eyes. Why were they so bright? “I had a, uh. . .” Jacks was stumbling over his words. Although Taylor kept his grin ever fixed on his face, the audience was starting to murmur in discomfort.

Maddy leaned over to Jackson and whispered, “Jacks, are you all right?”

It was like two things had happened simultaneously: it was as if the white light had taken over Jackson’s entire vision, and as if he were underwater in the “therapy” tank, the same “therapy” that never seemed to help his wings get better. He flashed back to trying to fly just the day before after therapy. In excruciating pain, he’d managed maybe ten feet before he’d dropped back to the earth, grinding his teeth in agony and shame. Now in the studio, the world pitched and reeled before him. Jacks grabbed the edges of the stool he was sitting on. Maddy’s voice was distant and sounded like it was underwater. But the voice slowly drew him back to reality.

Everything snapped back to focus instantly. Sharply.

Jackson coughed into his fist and looked at the host. “Sorry, Taylor, I had something in my throat. What I was saying was that, as we all know, I had a setback, but I’ll be back soon as the Guardian Angel the world knows and loves.”

The audience began clapping, and Jackson flashed a ten-thousand-watt smile at them and waved thanks.

“That’s just so wonderful,” Taylor said. “You heard it here first, folks, Jackson Godspeed on the mend and on his way back to saving lives and being in that glamorous spotlight of the Immortal City. We can’t wait.”

Taylor turned back to Maddy. “Thank you so much for coming on, Maddy. We expect great things! Just promise you won’t get too big to come back when you become a Guardian!”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, Taylor,” Maddy said, turning towards the audience and smiling. “I may become a Guardian but I’ll always just be me. I still will just want a burger and milkshake at my uncle’s diner.”

The audience went wild at this, clapping and cheering.

“That’s just terrific – America’s sweetheart is still going to be the girl next door.” The host quickly turned to the other camera: “Up next, an exclusive peek inside the home of American Protection winner Lindsey Gonzalez to see how she’s handling her first year in the glamorous world of the Angels and Protections! Don’t go anywhere!”

The lights above the cameras went off, signalling commercial break. Jacks stood up from the stool, just wanting to get off the stage. That kind of lapse had never happened to him before. He was Jackson Godspeed, after all – he had been practically raised in front of cameras.

Taylor turned to Maddy, grasping her hand. “Thank you so much, honey.”

“Did I do OK?” Maddy asked.