Natural Born Angel (Immortal City 2)

“While once we thought that we were the recipients of a great good, we now know that we have been the targets of a much greater deception. It is now, with my powers as president of the Global Angel Commission and president-elect of the United States, that I lead us in this difficult time. In a joint session, what has been known as the Immortals Bill has passed both houses of Congress just moments ago. Simultaneously, across the globe, leaders of the GAC countries have put into effect their own versions of the bill. The Immortals Bill makes the supernatural acts of flying, strength and speed illegal, effective immediately.

“As of this moment, any Angel caught performing a supernatural act, regardless of purpose, will be subject to arrest and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law by federal marshalls, duly appointed local police officers, or members of the military. Flagrant offences may result in the loss of wings.

“Thank you, and God bless America.”

Without a further word, President Linden turned and walked away

from the podium, flanked by his aides. The press room had erupted into a din of shouting and pandemonium on the part of the reporters.

The anchor back in the studio was in total shock, stuttering: “I think, George, yes, I believe President Linden is done there. And I, uh, believe he just, well, he just banned Angel activities under his powers as world leader of the GAC. The Immortals Bill has been passed and signed. Is that what you heard? That’s what we got back in the studio.”

The black remote in Maddy’s hand turned the TV back to mute. She and Tom looked at each other, silently. The light from the TV still danced across their faces in the dark.

“You did a great thing when you saved that girl, Maddy. A hard thing, but a great thing.” Tom squeezed her hand tightly. But Maddy’s hands still felt cold. In fact, her whole body felt a chill as she watched the chaos on the Angel City news station unfold silently on the TV. She slowly pulled her hand away. Tom’s face flashed with disappointment.

“I’m sorry, I’m just confused,” Maddy said.

“I didn’t know, Maddy . . . what I felt for you,” Tom said. “But how could I have been so blind?”

Maddy leaned forward on the couch and hugged her knees with her arms, her mind roaring with thoughts of Tom, and Jacks, and of the passing of the Immortals Bill.

Angel City would never be the same again. Forces had been put into play that she could not have imagined a year ago. She had wanted to change things with the Angels, but she had never dreamed it would go this way. This would harm Jacks, Kris, Chloe. Jacks. Jacks, who now had his wings back. And now was banned from using them.

Jacks. A spasm of terrible guilt passed through her as she realized what had just happened between her and Tom. Her own swirling, shifting feelings cascaded inside of her.

Maddy got up and went to the window, looking out at glittering Angel City far below. A steady rain had begun pounding the streets outside, and the bright lights of the glorious playground of the Angels smeared through the wet window.

She knew the Archangels and the Council wouldn’t just sit back. They had too much to lose.

Maddy knew the Immortals would not just give in.

CHAPTER 34

The next morning was bright and unbelievably clear, only the lightest white wisp of a cloud in the sky. The rain overnight had washed the Angel City streets clean and new and had drawn pollution out of the air, leaving the city feeling fresh. Maddy woke in her old bed at Uncle Kevin’s, looking out of the window. She had fallen asleep before drawing the blinds and was greeted by the Angel City sign, which used to meet her every morning.

Getting up out of bed, Maddy checked her phone: still nothing from Jacks. They hadn’t had contact in two days, since he left the diner after her illegal save. She realized with a pain that this was the longest they’d gone without talking since they’d met.

Maddy stayed downstairs all morning, curled up on the couch in an old sweatshirt, drinking tea and watching the developments on Kevin’s new TV. It kept her mind off Jacks. And Tom. There had been no official response from the NAS about the signing of the Immortals Bill, which seemed strange. The world was on the edge of its seat, waiting for a response from the Angels. The networks were still covering Maddy’s save, and there were many interviews with Lauren, the girl whose life she had saved.

“She’s a real hero,” Lauren said, tears in her eyes. “She could’ve let me die like any other Angel would have, but she didn’t.”

The footage cut to a reporter standing across the street from Uncle Kevin’s house. If Maddy had opened the curtains, she would have seen herself appear in the image.

The reporter spoke: “And ‘hero’ Maddy Godright still keeping quiet, today, two days after her electrifying save of both her Protection, billionaire Jeffrey Rosenberg, and her unsanctioned save of Lauren Donnell.”

Footage showed Maddy, in sunglasses, driving her Audi into the parking garage at her apartment building. A thousand bulbs flashed as she drove slowly forward.

The reporter standing outside Uncle Kevin’s house continued. “Sources say she’s keeping close to relatives and friends in this trying time, as we all wonder what will happen next.”

All of a sudden, the footage awkwardly cut from the reporter back to the studio.

On ANN, a snowy-bearded anchor in the studio seemed unprepared for this development. He shuffled papers in front of him and looked into the camera.

“We are, ahem, getting word that the Angels will be making a statement on President Linden’s ban of all Angel activities. In an unprecedented move, the Council themselves are said to be delivering a statement. It’s been forty years since the Council of Twelve has done anything public except for their annual endorsement of the nominees for Guardianship, or the very occasional appearance. And in the past twenty years, they’ve disappeared from the public eye almost entirely. And, yes, I’m getting word that we are getting a live feed right now via the NAS.”

The picture on screen cut to a close shot within the larger chapel that the Angels had been in during the footage from the Commissioning. Dark marble Ionic columns ran along each side, a shaft of light falling somewhere from the ceiling upon a stark podium that had been placed in the centre of the white marble floor. Instead of being seated, as the public was normally used to seeing them during Commissioning ceremonies, the Twelve were actually standing, as if to represent a united front. Their golden robes almost seemed connected in one glowing whole.

The graphic on the screen read: LIVE – Council of Twelve Chapel.