by CC Bridges
“It’s complicated.” Ian took over. “She was working for one of the labs uplevel. They think she had a bad reaction to the experiment. Ronnie couldn’t wake her up, came ’round and got us. We took her to the demon hospital….”
“It’s not looking good,” Hank said. “I think you and Kayla should come out here.”
Jeff gripped the control panel tightly, his knuckles gone white with the effort. “We’ll be there as soon as we can. Keep a channel open. I’ll take a portable.”
Hank nodded and the signal cut out. Jeff let his head fall for a moment before turning around to face them all.
Kayla had left her work on the floor, running up to them with Trixie at her heels. “Dad?”
“Grab an overnight bag, just in case. I’ll meet you by the truck.”
Kayla tugged on Gabe’s sleeve. “Gabe, you can’t come.”
He looked over at Jeff, surprised to see him nodding at her words. “Why not?”
“Heart of the demon territory,” Jeff explained. “There’s no way they’d look at you and not see an angel.”
Gabe thought of it, hundreds of demons all surrounding him, watching him with their glowing eyes, and he shuddered. “Maybe I could help her,” he protested.
“You a doctor as well as an angel, boy?” Jeff stood, sliding his arm around Gabe’s waist. “Trust me. Demon doc is just as good as anything upstairs.”
“I’ll tell her you wanted to come,” Kayla promised. She turned to run back to the house, shouting before she left, “Trixie can keep you company.” The dog barked in reply as she followed her mistress.
Before Gabe could speak, Jeff swept him into his arms, burying his face against Gabe’s hair. He ran his hands up Jeff’s back, holding him tight.
“’S’not that I don’t want you there,” Jeff muttered.
Gabe nearly laughed. That’s what Jeff was worried about? “I understand. This probably won’t be the first time I can’t do something because of my wings.” He pulled back slightly, cupping Jeff’s face between his hands and running his thumbs along his cheeks.
Jeff frowned, but he didn’t speak, just leaned down to press his lips against Gabe’s. Gabe held on, closing his eyes and immersing himself in everything that was Jeff—his lover’s scent, the tang of the machine oil and sweat, the bristle of Jeff’s beard against his cheeks, the way the much larger Jeff dwarfed his body.
“You should go,” he whispered, knowing if he didn’t let Jeff go right now they could stay like this all day, pressed against each other, skin to skin.
“Keep a portable close. I’ll get in touch when I can.” Jeff kissed his forehead, laughing when Gabe rolled his eyes in response.
He watched Jeff walk away from the workshop. Gabe couldn’t explain the hollow feeling in his belly or the apprehension that prickled at the back of his neck.
JEFF FOCUSED on driving his truck, sliding into hover-mode to cross the larger craters on the way to the heart of Old Trent where the demons had built up their center of operations. Kayla tapped the dashboard, a repetitive drumming that made him want to grab her wrist to get her to stop. His nerves were already strung to their limit.
“What’s really wrong with Mattie?” Kayla finally stopped the incessant pitter-patter.
Jeff pressed his lips together. “I’m guessing something happened where she works.”
“Mattie works uplevel. What happened that they couldn’t fix up there?”
How to explain that, to the uplevelers, Mattie wasn’t really a person? None of those who dwelled below were. Kayla had to grow up fast, like all the children in Old Trent, but she didn’t have a clue about the real division between the worlds above and below.
Jeff decided on the truth. He’d never lied to Kayla; he wouldn’t start now. “Mattie worked for one of the biolabs in the experimental division. They paid her to use her body to test new implants, new treatments, whatever.”
He looked over quickly, watching as his daughter’s face transformed, her mouth dropping open and eyes widening. “Why would she do that?”
“You can’t move uplevel without a bioregistry. And you can’t get one of those unless you’re gainfully employed. But you can’t get a decent job without a bioregistry.” And the labs took advantage of that. “I think she was hoping to make enough to move out of here eventually.”
“Is it really so great up there?” Kayla slammed her hand against the dash. “I would never let anyone….” Her hand fell to her own knee and squeezed tightly. Jeff got the message. She’d already been altered against her will, and Kayla wouldn’t willingly offer her own body as a canvas.
“Depends on who you ask,” Jeff answered. “Probably looks really good if you’re living in a ruin with no generator or clean water and high on Ice.”
“Hank and Ian moved down here. They had everything, and they left.”
“But they can always go back if they want.” It wasn’t much of a sacrifice if a gondola ride up the pillars was all that stood between you and Heaven. Jeff didn’t point that out. “I’ve never been up there, sweetheart. But I’ve been lucky. We ain’t hurting for food or shelter.” Not since Jeff and Leah had apprenticed themselves at the junkyard. If you didn’t have something to sell or offer in Old Trent, then you were useless.
In the old days, before Luca came and used his horde of demons to clean up the streets, Jeff had lived with the band of people fighting against those who’d steal from them. His own parents had been among that group, surviving hand to mouth in the remnants of the city on the garbage of the cities above, though he barely remembered them. Deaths were frequent then—sickness and disease took those the gangs hadn’t.
“Something to thank the demons for,” Jeff finished under his breath. Of course then you owed them everything. He thought of Gabe alone back at the junkyard, and a lump formed in his throat.
Kayla didn’t answer, just gazed out the window with her brow furrowed, a frown on her lips. She looked so much like her mother suddenly, his chest hurt. They were coming up on the demon complex now, what used to be the central part of Old Trent hundreds of years ago. But the shiny skyscrapers were altered, modified with new metal and techniques, colored gold and bronze against the sky. If they actually got any decent sun, they might even gleam.
They were waved through at the checkpoint, by two demons standing at a guardhouse with their wings flared and eyes glowing a deep orange. Jeff knew they scanned the truck as it drove between the two metal pillars. If he had any weapons, he wouldn’t make it to the next gate. A forceshield would drop and keep them from moving.
He couldn’t help but remember the urgent drive he’d made through this very street with his daughter bleeding in the back of his truck, nothing but desperate hope in his chest. The same sense of adrenaline shot through him now and, damn…. He hoped they could save Mattie just the same.
Jeff parked outside the hospital, setting the forceshield alarms by rote as they walked away from the truck. His fingers twitched against his side as he motioned Kayla through the sliding doors into the building. She knew where to go, still familiar with this place from her yearly checkups.
The woman standing at the desk in the center of the room was a demon, though without wings in the closed-in building. Her eyes glowed as they ventured close, a pale blue instead of yellow or orange. Jeff wondered what her sensors could see, how they appeared in her altered vision.
“Here to visit a friend,” Jeff said.
“Jeff. Kayla.” Hank’s voice got their attention from across the room.
“You’ll need passes,” the demon interrupted before Jeff could chase after Hank. She handed them slim chips attached to thin chains. Jeff grabbed his and stalked after Hank, the sense of urgency rising. Why else would Hank be waiting for them?
“Glad you made it.” Hank threw one arm around Kayla’s shoulders, giving her a tight squeeze before leading them to the lift.
“Of course,” Jeff answered. Why wouldn’t they?
“It’s not good, J
eff.” Hank looked down at Kayla, his eyes narrowing. “Do you really want to take her in there?”
Jeff swallowed. “Not going to deny her.” He wasn’t sure if he meant Kayla or Mattie.
Hank nodded. “Come on.”
With every step Jeff felt himself slip back in time. The colorless halls, the oppressive lighting, the staff rushing past, all brought him back to waiting to hear whether Kayla would live.
He clasped his hand on his daughter’s shoulder, reassuring himself that she was here, she was fine, that today was not the past. Kayla looked up at him and attempted a smile, but even she was subdued by their surroundings.
Ronnie met them outside the door. “Sweetie.” She patted Kayla’s cheek absently, but when she turned to Jeff, the smile drained from her face.
“Ronnie,” Jeff began, though he didn’t know what to say.
“I told her, Jeff, I damn well told her. But I wish to God I had been wrong. I wish….”
Jeff wrapped her in his arms before the tears could fall. They both had to be strong for Kayla, for Mattie just beyond that door. “Shh.” He murmured at her, words that were more gibberish than anything else.
Ronnie got control of herself and pushed Jeff away. He let her go. “Kayla, hon, when you go in there… you should be prepared. She don’t look like herself.”
Kayla’s lips thinned, and she nodded. Once again Jeff had that sense that she was growing up, growing away from him.
With a tight squeeze on Jeff’s forearm, Ronnie pushed the door open and led the way inside. Jeff wished he had taken the same warning to heart, because nothing could have prepared him for the sight before him.
Wires and machinery strung from the still form on the medi-platform in the center of the room. Fluid dripped from the tubing hooked above, while even more tubing drew liquid away. Jeff let himself see the technology first, unable to believe that small, thin person strapped to the platform was Mattie.
Half of her face was gone, covered in a plastic mask attached to the wires. Bandages went down her left side, and Jeff couldn’t make out an arm beneath the thin sheets. Mattie’s beautiful luminous skin had faded to gray, her thick hair lifeless against the pillow. For a moment he was grateful she still had her hair, that she still looked a little bit like herself.
“It was the last implant.” Ronnie stood back with Jeff, watching as Kayla went up to Mattie and touched the flesh-and-blood hand resting above the covers. “A new alloy. They think she was allergic to either the metal or the process. It didn’t show up right away….” Her voice caught and Ronnie stopped speaking.
Hank had gone to his lover, curling himself in Ian’s arms. The two men remained tucked away in a corner of the room, as if holding vigil.
Jeff swallowed. “What are they doing to fix her?”
“They took out all the implants. Left her half a woman,” Ronnie whispered. “Even if she does get better, they don’t think she’ll ever be able to have metal grafts again.”
Which would leave Mattie half of herself for the rest of her life. Jeff gritted his teeth to keep from shuddering. He feared that fate for Kayla so long ago. Without her cybernetics, his child would never run, never walk again, and never have a chance at a normal life. And now Mattie….
“Ronnie.” Mattie’s voice sounded loud in the room, though her words were slurred slightly.
“I’m here, baby.” Ronnie went to her sister’s side, brushing her hair back with a tender touch. “Kayla and Jeff came ’round to see you. Isn’t that nice?”
“Don’t,” Mattie said. The one eye Jeff could see closed and her jaw worked, struggling, he assumed with pain.
“Hey, Mattie,” Kayla said in the silence. Her voice was clear, without a trace of the tears that echoed in Ronnie’s words. “You remember the time Trixie went and stole Dad’s lunch? It was during the winter party, and she was sneaking under the tables, grabbing at scraps when she could, and then….”
Jeff closed his eyes and let her words rush over him. He’d lost so many people throughout his life. Each had seemed to disappear in an eyeblink, Leah and Old Man Giambi gone in one shot, or Roger and Carl, killed in a street fight. It had been rare to sit and watch someone slip away. Jeff never got the chance to say goodbye before, and now for the first time, he wondered if that was best, instead of this slow, painful slide into death.
THE FUR lifted on Trixie’s back, and she growled deep and low in her belly right before the proximity alarms began to blare. Gabe pushed himself out of the rolling chair in the workshop and hit the buttons on the main screen to show him the gate to the junkyard. The streets were empty. Gabe cycled through all of the cameras but couldn’t find the source of the alarm.
Trixie looked at the door of the workshop and barked a warning. Gabe opened the cabinet where Jeff kept his projectile weapons. Right now he could have used his spear, knowing he was a better fighter with a weapon he was familiar with. Even after all of Jeff’s lessons, Gabe was still a crap shot.
He triggered the doors, seeing nothing before him as he stepped out into the junkyard, Trixie stalking at his side. Gabe cocked the gun, finger poised on the trigger as he looked around them, still not seeing what had gotten the dog so upset.
The shadows lengthened on the ground a split second before Gabe realized he hadn’t looked up for the intrusion. He did so now and gasped at the demons dropping to Earth all around him. Their wings stretched like black sails against the sky. Glowing eyes watched him out of fearsome faces, some modded with horns or fangs.
Gabe counted twelve and knew he could not defend himself against all of them. He let the rifle drop, clenched loosely in his hands. Trixie crouched low to the ground, ready to strike. She growled, the sound echoing throughout the junkyard.
“Trixie, get inside,” he hissed at her. Kayla would never forgive him if he let anything happen to her dog.
Trixie whined, wagging her tail at him. “Go,” he ordered again, watching as she trotted back to the workshop.
“Didn’t know angels talked to dogs,” one of the demons threw out.
Gabe stiffened. He lifted the gun again. “What are you talking about?” Fuck, he figured demons would know him for what he was, but Gabe hadn’t counted on them guessing so quickly. He supposed the barrier of his clothes covering his wings meant nothing for their augmented sight.
The same demon spoke again. “Werth did his job real good. You got no fucking clue.” Glee filled his voice, and it was as if someone had poured ice water down Gabe’s back.
“You’re lying,” Gabe breathed. Demons were notorious liars. Jeff wouldn’t.
The demon laughed, his features stretched into a grotesque mask. “Who do you think dropped you on his doorstep? He took good care of you, angel boy, just like we told him to. Did you really think you could walk around Old Trent without a demon noticing? Now you’re ours.”
With less than a thought, Gabe extended his wings, destroying his shirts in the process. He was a warrior, and he’d fight, not let them take him. Gabe would battle in the skies, where he was made to strike.
He’d worry about what Jeff had or hadn’t done later.
Gabe ran toward the speaking demon, flapping his wings to take flight before ever reaching him. The demons followed, taking to the air a beat behind Gabe. He might be a crap shot, but it was easy enough to slam the butt of his gun into the gut of the demon who made a grab for him. Gabe turned in midair, clubbed the thing against its head, and got out of the way as the demon tumbled unconscious toward the earth. Another demon broke away from the group to catch him.
Gabe flapped harder, catching air and trying to get some kind of lead. He had nowhere to run—he’d never make it to midlevel before they caught him, and the junkyard was no longer a sanctuary. He banked, turning for the river and the endless bridge supports to nowhere.
Before he could make it that far, the demons started flying smart. The faster ones overtook him and flew past him, turning to block his way. Hands grasped at his feet and arms. Gabe thr
ew a punch, the gun spiraling away. Something hit him hard in the lower back, a shock of electricity that had all his limbs twitching, his wings useless. He plummeted for a breathless few feet before the creatures had him stable, caught between four of their clawed hands.
“Ya know, most people never get to meet Luca. Consider yourself lucky, angel boy.”
“N-not your b-boy,” Gabe stuttered, still trembling from the shock weapon.
The demon grinned, baring his fangs. “When Luca’s done with you, you’ll be whatever he says.”
Gabe spat at him. He kept a look of disgust on his face, hoping it concealed the very real fear that burned in his gut.
Jeff, where are you?
JEFF TRIED to tune out the sounds of Ronnie yelling at the doctor. He leaned against the wall, ready to step in if needed. Although at this point, he didn’t know who he’d end up defending, Ronnie or the doctor. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about what lay on the other side of the shuttered door.
“Dad,” Kayla said. She looked small now, the grown-up mask she’d worn for Mattie gone, shattered when Mattie had breathed her last, the machines all stuttering to a stop.
“Come here, kid.” Jeff held out his arms.
She fell into them, burying her face against his chest. Jeff breathed in the scent of her hair—a bit smoky and sweaty, but oh so alive. He held her a bit tighter. When she sniffled, he reached down and wiped her tears away.
“Why is Ronnie yelling?” Kayla pulled back, rubbing her eyes with both hands.
“The doctor wants….” Jeff paused, unable to say “the body” to his child. “To keep Mattie here for a little while. See if they can figure out why she died.”
“But that’s a good thing, right? They’d be able to help other people.”
Other victims of Heaven Corp, she meant. Jeff didn’t know if Kayla would understand that Ronnie didn’t want Mattie to be victimized in death just as she had been in life. “I think she wants to let Mattie rest in peace.”
Okay, maybe that was trite, but Jeff never expected to be explaining this. He didn’t have the words.