Battle Angel (Immortal City 3)

“Got it,” the tech said.

Susan gave the detective a little smile. She liked to joke that he was a natural manager, which always rankled him. He liked to think of himself as being the solo detective, the guy who works alone. He still wasn’t totally comfortable with a whole team.

“What’s the latest from the Thorn?” Sylvester asked.

The “Thorn” was the semi-tongue-in-cheek code name they’d given to the resistance agent working deep in the Angel organization, inside the sanctuary. Only Archangel Archson and Detective Sylvester knew the mole’s real identity. While the senior leadership of the NAS and the Council knew that Susan had broken ranks and was rebelling—an offense punishable by dewinging and mortalization if she was caught—they didn’t have any idea that one of their inner advisers was working to bring the Angels into the war against the demons. And the resistance wanted to keep it that way. Of course, the group had other sympathetic Angels planted in the sanctuary, as well, but the Thorn was the most valuable. And was also at the most risk if exposed.

“The Thorn reports there is no change in the Council now that Angel City is under siege. They knew the demons would advance as if totally unopposed,” Susan said. “Just as we’d thought. The leadership is not going to change. Change will have to come from outside. Before it’s too late. Our only hope is that we can somehow make the Angels come around. You know it and I know it, David.”

Sylvester nodded contemplatively and studied the map across the room. He turned to Susan and spoke in a hushed tone.

“Let’s go where we have some privacy,” he said, leading her into one of the abandoned offices to the side. She gave him an inquisitive look as they entered the room.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” he said, closing the door behind him. “I think it’s time.”

Was it Detective Sylvester’s imagination, or did a slight flush bloom in Susan’s face? Her beautiful Archangel features shone even in the depressed darkness of the little office.

“What is it, David?” Susan said softly.

“I didn’t want to share this until now, until I was more certain. But I’ve studied the attack patterns from yesterday, along with the series of disappearances we’ve heard of since then.”

“I knew there was something, but I couldn’t put my finger on it,” Susan said. “What have you found?”

“This is more than just an assault of demons causing chaos and sowing death. This assault is organized. Methodical. They’re being led by one among their ranks.”

A look of understanding crossed Susan’s face. “So maybe, if we can get to the one who is controlling them, we could stop them.”

Sylvester nodded. “There has to be a way to get at the head demon. And we’re going to find it. No matter what,” Sylvester said. “But we’ll need some Angels to go after it.”

“You’re right,” Susan said. “We need the Angels now more than ever. Only our kind could find this head demon and exterminate him.”

Now it was Sylvester’s turn to flush. He was touched that Susan still considered him an Angel, that she didn’t see his disgrace and dewinging as an indelible stain forever.

“The Angels. We have to get them back, David. It’s our duty,” Susan said. “For years I taught these Guardians. I put everything into training them. I believed in it. Just as you did. And then I slowly started to see what was happening. I first started to doubt them when . . .” She paused and looked at Sylvester. “When they did what they did to you so many years ago. When they took your wings.”

Sylvester blushed and coughed into his hand. “Thank you. For your . . . kindness.”

“I could never be anything but kind to you, David,” Susan said. She smiled lightly, placing her hand on the detective’s arm. It was strange, the feeling of that touch through his wrinkled dress shirt. It almost startled him. The touch of an Angel could do miraculous things.

A knock on the door interrupted their private conversation.

“Archangel Archson? Tech has a question for you,” a young woman with glasses said, oblivious to the moment she’d just walked in on.

“I’ll be right there.” Susan was gone in a few moments, the elegant Archangel following the resistance volunteer into the buzzing hive of workers.

Sylvester followed and returned to his desk—and the map beside it. He sighed, pulling his glasses off and looking at the dust that had accrued on the lenses. He started wiping them with his shirt, then sat down at his desk and poured himself a steaming cup of joe from his seemingly bottomless thermos of coffee.

He put on his freshly cleaned glasses and looked out across the open work area that had just been set up this morning, at the wide-eyed kids just barely out of college, the veteran Angels, his ACPD partner, plus several dissidents and former Angel activists. All brought together by his and Susan’s efforts, with their undercover mole helping inside the sanctuary. They were a motley crew if ever there was one.

What would they be able to stop from here? Anything?

But they had no choice. They had to keep going. Any alternative was too bleak to consider.

CHAPTER NINE

Maddy woke with an unuttered scream on her lips, her hands desperately clawing in front of her as if defending herself. It took her a moment to remember that she’d made her way back to Kevin’s house to recover after her near-death save by the 101. She gasped for breath as she sat up, drawing her tangle of sheets around her shivering frame. Cold sweat clung to her goose-pimpled skin, collecting in a small stream along the small of her back.

She’d had the dream again.