“Well then!” yelled the giant. “Will you help me?”
The Blues immediately began talking amongst themselves, as did the Reds, to Jeremy and Allison’s great surprise. It hardly looked as if the Reds were convinced that curing cancer was such a good idea. After a few interminable minutes, Tetisheri rose. She must have been the official speaker for the Blues. Without batting an eyelid, she asked the monster in a cold voice: “So what’s your plan, Mephisto?”
“To take action directly in the world of the living. We will give Peter, Ventousi’s little boy, cancer!”
Allison could feel the ice in her veins. Jeremy couldn’t believe his ears. Lili slumped over in her seat, suddenly exhausted by what she’d heard. She didn’t like it one little bit! She’d have to find a way out! But not yet, no, not with the scrumptious Jeremy nearly in her grasp … once she got rid of the stupid girl, anyway.
Tetisheri frowned.
“Mephisto, this is an enormous transgression that you’re requesting. And an effort that will leave all of us exhausted. Do the Reds agree with such a plan?”
Jeremy was aghast. He had seen firsthand how easy it was for Angels to influence the living. But he didn’t know they were also capable of crossing the invisible barrier that separated the two worlds to make the living fall ill!
“Our exchange program has worked well for us: We performed twenty-five remissions and cures this year.”
“Including twelve on sadistic, bloodthirsty psychopaths who have been feeding hordes of you Reds!” snapped back Tetisheri.
“And thirteen on future blue Angels,” replied Mephisto. “Which means you still owe us a favor. And we’ll use that favor to make the little boy sick. Very sick. But first, we have to convince the inspectors to lock up Ventousi, so that the only way he’ll be able to cure his son is by revealing his secret formula.”
Tetisheri gave him a skeptical look.
“And what if he doesn’t? What if he’s so greedy that he’ll even sacrifice his own son?”
Mephisto shrugged his enormous red shoulders, and then suddenly began transforming himself, catching everyone by surprise. He quickly shrank into a likeness of little Peter, the ten year-old little boy. He looked deathly ill and clutched his stomach, while blood trickled from his mouth: “Then I’ll die,” he whispered in a trembling voice. “And I’ll wake up here. After all, death is only the beginning!”
He collapsed melodramatically on the floor, as if he’d just breathed his last gasp. Then his body quickly began to expand, until a few seconds later Mephistopheles stood before them once again, laughing loudly as the stunned crowd looked on.
Everyone in the assembly had been taken aback by his cruel display of cynicism, and Jeremy seemed even more deeply affected than the others. Suddenly, everything was clear to him. He quickly got to his feet and left the chamber without a word. He couldn’t remain in the same room as that monster for another instant. Allison followed after him, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Oh my God,” she stammered. “What have I done?!”
Before she had time to react, Jeremy took her gently into his arms. She tensed up for a moment, but then broke down, and the two of them held each other like lost, frightened children. Jeremy led her to a small public park near the Capitol. It was empty at such a late hour and all the gates were closed. They walked across the large lawn, finally alone. Jeremy kept her in his arms all the while, and finally helped Allison sit down on a bench.
“I … I don’t want to be … I don’t want to be like him! Like that … like that monster,” Allison said in a choked voice. “Oh, Jeremy, I was such an idiot!”
“You’re not an idiot, Allison,” Jeremy replied firmly. “You were manipulated. Very subtly, I admit, but how could you have known? They’re both such sly old foxes.”
Allison raised her big blue eyes, misty with tears, to look at him. He gently wiped her crimson cheeks.
“Ma … manipulated? But … but how?”
“The first time that you flew with Flint, you were afraid and light-headed. He said that he’d clouded your mind a bit to keep you calm. When we first saw Ventousi, Lili touched you again, and you suddenly changed. Same as at the arena. You were disgusted by the duel, but then Flint touched you and you flip-flopped again. Each time, they influenced you to make you become one of them.”
Allison was stunned.
“You think that Flint and Lili are Reds? But they’re both blue!”
“No. The emotions they transferred to you were always negative, Allison. Vengeance and hate. They’re both very old Angels, do you really think it’s difficult for them to change colors?”
The young girl’s face suddenly grew dark with anger.
“No! Allison, don’t let their emotions influence you anymore. If you try to stop them, they’ll crush you like a fly.” He took her by the hands and looked deeply into her eyes. “Allison, do you trust me?”
Allison tried to fight down the anger and fear that were coursing through her veins.
“Yes,” she finally said.
Jeremy smiled at her, but still looked worried.
“OK, if you trust me, then you’re going to have to do something very, very difficult for me.”
Allison’s pretty eyes opened wide.
“What?”
“Transfer all the power of Caligula to me!”
For a few moments, Allison couldn’t speak. All around them they could hear the hustle and bustle of city life, but the park seemed strangely calm.
She pulled back her hands.
“And why is that?”
“Because his power is corrupting you. Did you see Mephistopheles? That force, that power you feel inside has terrible side effects. You just experienced a shock. When you imagined the horrible agony Peter would go through, you came back to our side. Back to the Blues. If you don’t use this moment of lucidity to rid yourself of this monstrous power, it’s going to eat you up inside, and you’ll end up being exactly like him. You’ll turn into a monster.”
Allison shuddered.
“But … what about you? If you take my power, you’ll be transformed too! Do you think I’m the kind of girl who would sacrifice her friends?”
He took her into his arms again, reveling in her warm scent. Allison collapsed in his embrace.
“My love,” Jeremy whispered, with infinite tenderness in his voice. “I know how brave and determined you are. I can’t tell you why just yet, but I’m asking you again: Please, trust me! Receiving all that terrifying power won’t have any affect on me. I’m begging you, Allison. Do it for me. Not for you. For me, because I love you and it’s the only way I can keep from losing you!”
Curled up in his arms, Allison could feel her defenses melting away under the effects of his soft, caressing voice. He was right. The shock she’d first felt when she’d witnessed the cruelty and haughty indifference of Mephistopheles was fading away. She could feel the rage and power starting to color her feelings again. No. She didn’t want it anymore!
“All right,” she whispered, so softly that Jeremy wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly.
“What did you say, my love?”
“I said, all right. But I’m warning you, Jeremy, you’d better not turn red or I’ll never speak to you again for as long as I live … or die!”
Jeremy laughed with joy. He got to his feet and lifted Allison into the air, spinning her around in circles.
“Ahhh! Jeremy, stop it!” she cried out in fear.
Jeremy didn’t give her any more time to protest. He set her back down and kissed her with so much passion, so much profound and heartfelt love, that it took her breath away. He was gentle and tender, but at the same time incredibly earnest, and Allison knew that if he didn’t stop, her knees would give out. Finally he pulled himself away, both moved and happy.
“Go ahead, my love, let’s get rid of this burden once and for all.”
Allison steadied her trembling legs and hit him with the first burst of power.
She could hardly believe it: Jeremy didn’t even flinch. She was so surprised she wondered if she had misfired. It had taken three months for Caligula to transfer his power to her without destroying her, or making her “disappear.” And here was Jeremy, standing tall, although a bit pale. He hardly looked fazed.
“Did you … did you feel anything?” Allison asked hesitantly.
“Yuk,” he said. “I sure did. Go on, Allison, there’s no reason for you to be afraid; trust me. I’ll be fine!”
Reassured by his words but a bit worried nonetheless, Allison gave him a stronger burst. He did wince a bit this time, but showed no signs of pain.
“At this point,” she remarked, slightly miffed, “I was puking my guts out. How do you do it?”
“All that training on the stock market,” Jeremy panted. “I’m used to pressure. Come on, give me everything you’ve got!”
She gave him an enigmatic smile, and couldn’t help but be annoyed. She was unleashing huge waves of almost unlimited power, and it didn’t bother him in the least! It wasn’t fair. She blasted him with as much power as Caligula had given her in a whole month, leaving her weak and trembling.
Ah. This time he’d felt it. Sweat began pouring down his face, as if hot coals were burning him up inside.
“Ouch!” he said. “OK, I felt that one.”
“Ouch? My God, Jeremy, what’s happened to you? All you say is ouch, when I almost died? You know what: You’re really starting to annoy me!”
He gave her a weak smile.
“All right, all right,” he said wearily. “I guess I was trying to be a tough guy. But if it makes you feel any better, it feels like millions of red-hot insects are stinging me all over.”
All right, that was more like it! Allison was starting to think he was some type of superhero—or maybe superAngel was more like it. Reassured now, she waited a few seconds for Jeremy to recover before continuing. When he gestured at her to let him have it, she unloaded a huge blast.
This time he dropped to his knees.
Horrified, she ran over to him.
“Jeremy!”
He got slowly to his feet.
“No, no, I’m OK, Allison; keep going. Let’s get it over with.”
“But this shit’s going to destroy you!”
“I can keep taking it. Look, your skin has turned pink. We’re almost there! We can’t stop now. You have to get all the evil out of your system. All of it, or this will all have been a waste of time.”
Allison shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks, but Jeremy kissed her, savoring her soft lips, before encouraging her again:
“One last effort, Allison. Go on. Let’s get it over with now.”
Allison obeyed, still weeping. She remained on her knees in front of him, closed her eyes, and sent all the power remaining inside her over to Jeremy. There was still a lot left, and it seemed to take an eternity. When she was finished, she opened her eyes, trembling, and saw that her skin was once again the color of a young blue Angel. There wasn’t the slightest trace of the evil powers she’d received from Caligula.
Filled with joy, she raised her eyes to look at Jeremy and gasped in horror.
He had turned completely red.
19
The Taste of Red
A piercing laugh, like the sound of two metal plates being twisted and tortured, rang out behind them.
Frightened by the noise, Allison and Jeremy slowly got to their feet and turned around. Alas, both knew who it was.
Mephistopheles.
The monstrous red Angel was followed by the three red Archangels and the four blue Archangels, along with Tetisheri and Lili, whose eyes were filled with infinite sadness.
“Finally!” Mephisto cried triumphantly. “We finally got you, my little Angel: Welcome to our side!”
Jeremy slowly raised himself to full height. The last blast of power had almost knocked him out. He tried to chase away the dark spots flashing before his eyes as he raised his head to face Mephistopheles.
“To your side?” he repeated weakly.
“Yes, to our side,” Mephistopheles repeated slyly. “Come here, Khan, come say hello to your brother!”
The killer silently slipped out of the shadows in the park. Jeremy jumped. He hadn’t realized Khan was there. The red Angel had grown in stature and height, and must have been over seven feet tall now. He looked absolutely terrifying. Well, not quite as terrifying as Mephisto, of course.
Reluctantly, he nodded his head slightly in Jeremy’s direction.
“Talkative as always,” Jeremy quipped. “And I hardly see why I should consider our killer to be a brother—do you, Flint?!”
The whole gathering gasped in surprise. At a loss, the blue Archangels all turned as one toward Mephistopheles, who swore in disgust.
“Come on now, Mephistopheles, your little charade has gone on long enough,” Jeremy insisted. “I know very well that you and Flint are the same person.”
Mephistopheles gave them all a sullen look, trying to decide if he should try to keep up the pretense. But when he saw the firm and determined look on Jeremy’s face he decided against it, realizing he’d been unmasked.
“How?” he growled. “How did you find out? I had everybody fooled! Flint didn’t possess all the characteristics of my true personality, allowing me to keep my secret for over fifteen hundred years. And no Angel had ever made the slightest connection between the two of us, or even suspected that he was a red Archangel.”
For some reason, Mephistopheles spoke of Flint as if he were a whole other person, distinct from himself.
Jeremy took a malicious pleasure in answering him: “You gave yourself away. Flint has a verbal tic. He’s always saying, ‘Death is only the beginning.’ Probably thinks he sounds clever. You used the same expression earlier when you talked about Peter dying, and I finally made the connection. You and Flint are two sides of the same coin. I had already suspected that Flint was a red Angel, after everything that’s happened. But I have to admit I never thought he would turn out to be one of the princes of the underworld. If such a place actually exists.”
Allison had gone white as a sheet and looked like she might faint.
“You mean I … I got kissed by that … thing?”
Mephistopheles passed his forked tongue over his hideous red lips.
“A sheer delight. And there will be many more to come over the next fifty years, since you belong to me—or rather, you belong to Flint, who appears to be quite taken with you, little Blue! I’m quite impatient to see what he will do with you. Although, I must admit, I’m hardly pleased that our young friend has unmasked my ingenious disguise. It took me almost two thousand years to perfect it!”
He angrily flapped his red leather wing.
“Oh well,” he sighed. “No matter. It was well worth it.”
“But why?” Allison exclaimed. “Why … all this fuss?”
“Oh, you mean you still don’t understand, my pretty Cherub? You mean your little boyfriend hasn’t shown you the mark around his little belly button?”
Allison turned and gaped at Jeremy.
“He didn’t show it to me,” she finally managed to say. “But yes, I saw it. What does that have to do with—”
“Khan!” Mephistopheles commanded. “Show them yours.”
Without hesitating, the killer removed the Mist kimono he was wearing. On his abdomen gleamed a small golden mark, about the size of a large coin. It wasn’t nearly as big as Jeremy’s.
The faces of the blue Archangels all darkened, while the Reds gave them sickly smiles.
“You’ll be surprised to learn, Jeremy, that the mark means—”
“… the mark means,” Jeremy said softly, stealing Mephistopheles’s thunder, “that I’m an Archangel too!”
Mephistopheles gave him a suspicious look.
“You mean, you knew?”
“Allison thought you were after her. But as I kept telling her, too many strange things
have happened since I passed over. What are the chances that I would run into two eons-old Angels, one from Europe and one from Africa, the very night I was killed? You and Tetisheri? The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed. I should have been doing the same things that all the other dead people do when they find themselves here: finding my family, and spending time with other young Angels like me who had passed over maybe ten, twenty, or thirty years ago, tops. So why would old Angels like you take so much interest in a little Cherub like me, when you clearly look down your noses at them—even a genius like Einstein? No. It didn’t make sense. And then … everything became clear to me when I found out that Tetisheri was tailing me.”
Mephistopheles scowled at the Egyptian queen, who didn’t bat an eye.
“She gave me an address, and told me that if I needed help I should come to see her. When I realized that I wasn’t like the others, that I could do things that other young Angels couldn’t and that the Ancients had taken an interest in me, I knew I needed to get some answers to my questions.”
Mephistopheles’s eyes flashed as he glared at the Blues.
“I thought we had agreed on a non-interference pact?”
One of the Archangels, Michael, stepped forward, his magnificent, dark-blue wings towering over him.
“And luring this young Archangel toward the Red side through deceit, Mephistopheles: What would you call that?”
“Common sense,” snickered the red Angel. “I’m bringing him over to the winning side.”
“Intolerable interference!” retorted Michael, who didn’t look like he had much of a sense of humor. “But in any case, it enabled us to reestablish an equilibrium.”
“Equilibrium, my ass!” cursed Mephistopheles as he pointed over at Jeremy. “He’s a Red now. And he’s all mine! There are six of us red Archangels against only four Blues. Our side wins!”
Jeremy let him crow for a few more seconds. He had always been fond of the old proverb: “The higher they climb, the harder they fall.”
“Not quite,” he said quietly.
And, as Allison looked on in alarm, Jeremy suddenly changed colors.
He had become completely blue once again. A shimmering, midnight blue. He took off his shirt so all could see that he was blue everywhere, except for the golden mark on his stomach, which had grown even bigger and now completely covered his abs.
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