by Alexie Aaron
“How? How can I sink a ship? If I could, it would have been the Devil’s Pride or the Peacock.”
“Yes, if it were just you…” Roumain said, rubbing his chin. “But who?”
“I think you need to let this one go. I mean no disrespect,” Mia said softly. “But you should let this go.”
“You have done the humans a service they will never thank you for. You have sacrificed your dreams for an unappreciative species.”
“I guess so. Some of us never seem to learn the hard lessons.”
“Mia, Kai told you something you must take to the grave with you.”
Mia ran it through her head. “He told me an old one lusted for me. I assumed it was Abigor. Was I wrong?”
“I think you should let this one go,” Roumain said.
“Are you a fallen?” Mia asked, her voice barely able to be heard.
The answer was to find herself back in the room, wearing the pink pajamas. She jumped into bed and waited for time to start again.
Lazar walked in carrying a tray. He wrinkled up his face. “I’m not sure I like seeing you in my bed.”
“And not wearing pink.”
He rolled his eyes. “It’s not a bad color, but it’s like a pink Harley Davidson; it doesn’t quite fit.”
“Finally, a man who understands me.”
“What are you buttering me up for?” Lazar asked.
“It was just a compliment.”
“Somehow it isn’t, but let’s put this behind us. I’m very glad that you’re home. I don’t like that everyone thinks you’re ill when you’re clearly not.”
“I know. Ted knows, Dieter knows. But Cid’s got this wrong idea and…”
“You want me to fix it?”
“Can you?”
Lazar laughed. “I’m the last one in. How am I going to convince your long-admiring lap dogs that you’re not suffering from a broken heart because your pet ghost has done a runner?”
“Whoa, that does sound horrible, doesn’t it?” Mia said. “Lap dogs?”
“Why is there sand on the floor?” Lazar asked.
“Maybe I brought it back with me?” Mia said quickly.
“I doubt it, but I’ll let you have your secrets. Do me a favor and drink all this tea. It’s supposed to cure a broken heart, wink, wink,” Lazar said, handing Mia a cup and leaving the room with the door open.
Ted came in. He looked around. “Lazar’s certainly made this place his own.”
“Ted, I think we should join Burt and Patrick on the treasure hunt,” Mia said quickly. “Make it a PEEPs investigation.”
“Because…”
“We have to get their minds on something else. I will not be able to live this lie any longer.”
“What lie?”
“That it breaks my heart Murphy is gone. Honestly, it was something else. Orion checked me over. I’m fine. They won’t let me be fine if we hang around here. Look what I’m wearing!”
“It’s not as bad as the clothes Whit bought for you during the hollow problems.”
“How did you know about that?” Mia gasped.
“I was there. We techs see and hear a lot of things, Mia.”
“K.”
“We still do.”
“Do you have this room bugged?”
“No, but one moment I’m reaching for a Dr. Pepper because I’m hot, the next moment my hand is so cold I can hardly close it around the can. You’ve been to see Roumain. Which also explains the sand on the floor.”
“And the bed,” Mia said, lifting the covers. “My feet were sandy.”
“What happened?”
“I got a good scolding. Which reminds me, I have to see Michael.”
“That’s it!” Ted said. “Go and see Michael, and when you come back, everybody will assume he’s cured you.”
“He’s going to rip my wings off, Ted.”
“No. You’re going directly to him this time. In the meantime, I’ll get the group together, and we’ll put together an investigation. We only have a few days because the boys want to see you.”
“We could take them?”
“No. Not until you and I have had a few days and nights together, alone.”
“Whoa. Get me some clothes, because I’m not going to see Michael dressed as Doris Day.”
Chapter Twenty-seven
Mia looked around at the crystalline cave and tried not to touch the sides. She had read, if you were in contact with evil, a white crystal could leach the evil out of you, leaving the crystal black. Mia looked at the ground to see if she had left black footprints.
“Mia, Michael will see you now,” an armored angel told her.
“Thank you,” she said and waited for him to open the door, too afraid to touch the long cylindrical piece of white crystal.
Michael watched her from within and managed to suppress his smile before she entered, balling up her sleeves over her hands before grabbing the handle.
She walked up and knelt with her head down and waited to be addressed.
“Why don’t you just lay face down? Isn’t this how you show Abigor respect or Lucifer?”
Mia slid down, pressing her forehead into the crystal floor. She opened her eyes and swore she saw black leaching out from her nose.
Michael knelt and turned her face to the side. “I should break your neck.”
“Yup. I mean, yes, sir.”
“Get up.”
“Yes, sir.” Mia scrambled to her feet and lost her balance on the polished floor, toppling into Michael. “Oh my…” she fought the word but it slipped out, “God.”
“Mia Cooper Martin! Taking the Lord’s name in vain, here?” he asked, steadying her with his hands.
“You sound like Father Santos,” Mia said and winced as his fingers dug into her arms.
“He’s an admirable man. I’m honored.”
“I came as soon… I came to tell you all about… Help a girl out and just start yelling,” Mia said.
“Let me list what I know,” Michael started. “You risked my healer fighting Lamia. You helped the demon-with-no-name to escape into Hell where he killed Lamia and Aosoth’s brother, General… I can’t remember his name; there are so many of them. You then fight this demon… Ruax and kill him, receiving what for your trouble?”
“Impunity, a single serving of impunity.”
“You really need a better agent. But wait, that’s not all. You cross into the Ghost Ship Dimension and seduce Captain Crocker in order to release three birdmen.”
“That wasn’t my original intention. I was going to buy Stephen Murphy’s freedom, but then I found out about the birdmen. At first, I thought they were dead. But no, they were still alive. I couldn’t leave them like that.”
“Let’s back up. Whose colors were you wearing?”
“Abigor’s, but I didn’t have permission. He didn’t send me. I lied to Captain Crocker.”
“So, you commit adultery…”
“No, I fed the seduction into his mind. I barely had to touch him… Oh just start yelling please…”
Michael turned and composed himself before continuing. “The next part… I’m not sure about.”
“Maybe it’s best you don’t know.”
“Mia Cooper Martin! Do you want to keep those wings?”
“I guess…”
“That’s the first answer I believe. Tell me.”
Mia looked around.
“No one can hear us,” he said.
“I had Orion cast an image of me sleeping in the hospital.”
“Why were you in the hospital?”
“They said I had this… long word… basically, a broken heart.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“So, you pretended to have a broken heart, and Orion cast an image of you sleeping, why?”
“So I could fly to the south Atlantic and be part of a team to bring forth a waterspout to destroy The Risen.”
“Leviathan’s ship?”
“Yup.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“This was with impunity from Lucifer?”
“Yes, sir. May I explain why I didn’t think it would be wise for you to know…”
“No. You were protecting me from being complicit when it was a covert birdman mission against the Cynosura.”
“I’m not even sure the Brotherhood of the Wing know.”
“Who?”
“Victor and Nicholai.”
“And…”
“Me.”
“And…”
“Altair was there at the end, but he wasn’t part… was he?” Mia asked herself, unsure.
“He’s already been here, Mia.”
“Then take his word for it.”
“He said he saw you plummeting to your death and saved you with a blue whale.”
“Yes! That’s what happened. Phew…” Mia said. “That’s a relief.”
“Mia, whose sword did you use to kill Ruax?”
Mia closed an eye and thought back. “Altair’s. He was there, but I’m not sure why, except to once again save my butt. I’m not a good influence on the boy.”
“Altair’s several thousand years older than you,” Michael said.
“K.”
“Now what to do with you?”
“Whatever it is, can you do it fast? Like ripping off a bandage fast, instead of painfully slow.”
“Mia, I don’t want to punish you.”
“You don’t?” Mia asked, feeling faint. She sat down on the floor.
“What’s wrong?”
“I was holding my breath.”
Michael started laughing. “Oh, Mia, you are a gigantic pain in the feathers, but you are a delight.”
“Why are you being nice to me?” Mia asked.
Michael looked down at her. “You’ve done nothing wrong - well maybe. You let the late Captain Crocker think he got lucky, but your heart was in the right place.”
“I find it interesting that me killing is fine, but feeding someone a fantasy, not good,” Mia commented.
“I see your point.”
“You said late Captain Crocker. Who killed him?” Mia asked.
“It was a robbery. That’s all I know. He’s not my problem anymore. You are.”
“I’m sorry that I didn’t let you know what was going on. I could list a myriad of excuses about things moving too fast, spies, and other claptrap, but I’m genuinely sorry. Will you forgive me?”
“Yes, of course I forgive you,” Michael said. “Now will you get off the floor? You’re leaving a black spot.
Mia launched herself up, looking under her. There was nothing there.
Michael roared with laughter.
“You knew…”
“Of course. Something else is bothering you, besides your rubbing elbows with the fallen?”
“Two things.”
“Go on.”
Mia steeled herself not for the asking, but what the answers may be. “After I killed Ruax, I helped to send an FBI agent’s soul into the light. It didn’t want me. There was no pull from the light. There was always a pull. Is this because I’m so tainted?”
Michael thought about it a moment. “Mia, I can’t know what the light is thinking or if it thinks at all, but if it did, maybe for the first time, it thinks you’re more valuable here.”
“But what happens when I die? Will it reject me?” Mia asked.
“I can’t answer that. This is why I want you to take care of yourself. You are so valuable to me and mine but also to the people and entities that are fighting for humans.”
Mia was quiet. “Thank you, that means so much,” she said finally.
“What is the other thing?”
“I’ve lied to the others. I’ve blocked all the symptoms and cast an illusion over me. I did feel excruciating pain after Murphy called me a whore. Did he break my heart?”
Michael moved forward and placed his hand on her chest a moment before he lifted her up and carried her to the table.
“In the past, how many times did Stephen squeeze your heart to restart it?”
“I don’t know exactly. I was dead.”
“It’s not a broken heart, which is a blessing in the cases of two old people wanting to have the adventure of heaven together. The GSD is a strange place. Ghosts live again. Stephen lived again. Maybe his rejection of you started your heart rejecting him. The magic of his bringing you to life fell away.”
“But I’m still alive.”
“Something has been keeping your heart beating, Mia. I’m not sure I understand it. I don’t understand gargoyle magic because it’s part machine. The gem inside the locket that is fused to your spine, thanks to my incompetence, is pulsing, like a pacemaker. I’m going to heal your heart, but you’re going to have to help me. Take me back to the first time you died.”
“I was tossed into a deep well by a serial killer. I hit the water hard, and my nervous system started to shut down. A tormented spirit named Jonas pulled me out of the water to a ledge. I was worried about Murphy. The killer had tossed a pack down that had his axe head inside. In the early days, Murphy thought he was tied to the axe and so he was. Jonas retrieved the bag. By that time, everything hurt, and I knew I was going to die. I tried to comfort Jonas by telling him that Murphy would keep him company. I said, ‘He’s my best friend.’ And then I died.”
“What happened after you died?” Michael asked as he laid out his instruments.
“Murphy stuck his hand into my chest and squeezed my heart. My body jerked and I came back, curled into a ball, and tried to keep warm until Ted came and carried me out of the well.”
“He carried you and Murphy out of the well,” Michael corrected.
“I guess so.”
“Tell me about the second time, Mia,” he asked to keep her mind occupied while he disrobed her.
“We were caught out in the storm, just outside of an old mill, trying to save some elephants. The wanderers had overpowered Murphy, and he was ceasing to be. So, I told him to take my energy. He took too much. Ted carried me inside, hoping the animal doctors could save me. Someone in the light was calling me. ‘Come, sister of the light, come home.’ I heard feathers. I got the impression it was an angel. Murphy arrived and, once again, reached into my chest and regulated my heart by squeezing it, giving it the right rhythm until it was beating on its own.”
“Mia, both times, it was Ted carrying you to safety.”
“Yes.”
“Focus on Ted. Let Stephen go. In the orchard, after you said goodbye to Neil, you begged Sariel to open your heart, so you could let him in. Sariel took away the imprint of Stephen’s hand on your heart but left Stephen’s energy there because it was keeping your heart beating. Don’t blame Sariel for this. Your relationship with Stephen was founded on friendship; he never thought Stephen would leave you. None of us did.”
“So, when Stephen let go of me…”
“You experienced your first attack. I think it woke up this little device. What’s it for?”
“It makes me totally invisible when I’m wearing my armor. I used to only be invisible when seen from above.”
“Yes, I remember,” Michael said. “The second time your heart hurt?”
“After we crossed out of the GSD.”
“Stephen was no longer powering you with his love. This device took over. I could leave it or take it out with the locket and chain. Do you really need to be invisible?”
“No, I guess not.”
“Do you want to be invisible?” he clarified.
“Not really. It was handy, but I don’t expect I’ll need it again.”
Michael studied the task before him. He opened himself up, asking for guidance. His brother walked in. “Mia, Raphael is here. Do you mind if we work on you together?”
“Can I ask one thing first?”
“Yes?” Raphael asked.
“No horns. I’d rather go straight to Purgatory.”
Raphae
l looked at Michael. “Let’s not give her horns. Roumain already has a strong hold on her.”
“I can still hear you,” Mia said.
Michael moved so she could see his face. “I’m going to put you to sleep now…”
~
Ted looked up from his workbench and said, “Mia’s back.” He ran outside and then up the hill to the aerie. She was walking down from the hillside. She smiled a crooked smile and started running towards him.
He lifted her up and held her in his arms, her feet dangling.
“Hello, wife.”
“Hello, husband. How long have I been gone?”
“Two days.”
“Really?” Mia asked, worried.
“Nope. I lied. Six hours. You must have had one hell… one heaven of a conversation.”
Ted set her down and looked into her eyes.
“Yes, indeed. I also have to return this to Jeff,” she said, pulling the chain out of her pocket. “It’s amazing, but I don’t need it anymore.”
“Was this the source of your pain?”
“Not exactly, but it did keep me alive. Evidently, Jeff’s a genius at anticipation. He knowingly, or unknowingly, built a pacemaker into this baby,” Mia said, dropping it into Ted’s hand. “They also took away my tattoo, but…”
Ted pulled off his shirt. “His was gone from his shoulder too.
“But,” Mia continued, “evidently, it was more of a communication device than an actual bonding. According to Michael, we don’t need proof of our love. Raphael agrees. I think they don’t like Altair having any undue influence over us.”
“It served its purpose, but I shall miss it,” Ted said. “It looked cool.”
“On me, it was pretty large.”
“Honey, you had a large canvas to put it on,” Ted leered. “So, what about your heart?”
“It wasn’t broken, just missing the spectral energy that was keeping it beating. I don’t know how they fixed it, but I worry they woke some other stuff up too. They should be the patron saints of mad scientists.”
“Hey, finally, some saints I can believe in,” Ted said, putting his arm around Mia. “Let’s go inside and see what’s changed before the others arrive for the meeting.”
“Meeting?”
“The PEEPs meeting you wanted me to…”
“Yes! I remember now. I was distracted by our having time to ourselves.”