The sight made her shiver and hang on tight.
"Where to?" she asked, feeling full of promise for the future.
Montgomery paused for a beat, long enough to make her dread his answer. "The warehouse," he said slowly. "Of course."
Of course. Lilia's heart sank.
His mission was completed.
Montgomery was leaving.
They used the chemical showers on the New Gotham side of the tunnel, then continued to the warehouse in silence. Lilia had nothing to say and Montgomery didn't seem inclined to talk.
She wasn't going to beg.
She didn't want to know if it would matter.
Instead, she focused on practicalities. They sat together in the angel room of the warehouse as Montgomery fed details to his supervisor.
Doc Mina's palm proved to hold a wealth of information. The entire scheme was there, documented in excruciating, self-indulgent detail.
The plan to use Gid to confirm the Council's suspicions about shade populations was there, as was an increment of alarm that he somehow figured out the reason for his research.
The good partners at Breisach and Turner had apparently balked at shipping a bomber in parts to Estevan. It seemed that they had figured out what had happened at Gotham and the deal with the Society for a perennial shipping contract of oranges had been a ploy to shut them up. They'd played along, until they'd seen the pattern developing again. Mike had engineered the skiing accident for Mr. Breisach and Dr. Malachy had been the helpful gentleman who had escorted Mr. Turner into his rickshaw, only to ensure that man's injury in a subsequent accident Doc Mina had been the doctor to administer the false and fatal dose.
Lilia had been a wild card, because the Council had no idea how much she knew. Mike had followed her and executed everyone she talked to, cleaning up behind Lilia with the obvious intent of eliminating her once her investigating was done. She'd been denounced to make it less likely that anyone would believe whatever she claimed.
It was perfectly logical, but they hadn't counted on the intervention of angels.
Lilia had to like that.
She didn't have to like seeing the light of angelfire illuminating the skylight overhead. "They're coming for you," she said softly as Montgomery stood.
"Yes," was his only reply. His gaze was fixed skyward, his manner distracted.
"I love you, Montgomery," she said, her heart aching and her voice thick.
He turned and glanced back, a smile curving his lips. There was a sadness in his gaze, though, a sadness that made her fear what he would say. "I know, Lil," he said with quiet heat. "Your eyes told me first."
That he didn't reply in kind told Lilia all she needed to know.
There was a hard lump in her throat, and she wanted to cry as she had never cried for Gid. She was tempted to leave, to not watch him exit her life forever, but she couldn't deny herself one last glimpse.
She averted her eyes from Montgomery as the light brightened, marveling that this was only a fraction of the radiance they could release.
That was when she realized she wasn't the only mortal in the warehouse.
A trim older man in a pseudoskin, his hair cut very short, stood in the doorway. He was watching her. He lifted a finger to his lips when she saw him, then gestured back to Montgomery and the arriving angels.
Montgomery had told her once before to not distract them.
Lilia bit her tongue and watched, hoping she'd made the right choice.
Montgomery knew what he had to do.
He'd never made promises he couldn't keep and he wasn't going to make Lilia a promise now, not when he wasn't sure he could deliver. White light filled his vision and his thoughts, burning away doubts and lies. Montgomery reveled in the clarity it brought to him, in its cleansing power, and knew that it could only be one thing.
Angelfire.
He bowed his head as the radiance grew brighter around him and prayed that his request would be fulfilled.
"You have done well, Munkar." The words resonated in his thoughts, honest and caring, devoid of guile.
"I was not alone in this."
Montgomery let the image of Lilia fill his thoughts. He thought of her stubborn pursuit of justice and her willingness to put herself at risk for a cause she'd embraced. There was something noble about her quest, something admirable about her knowing the odds were stacked against her and not changing her course as a result.
She was passionate.
She was idealistic and optimistic.
She was quintessentially human.
He didn't want to leave her.
"Your time as a volunteer is ended, Munkar. Your quest is done."
Montgomery knew that he felt more than desire for Lilia, more than admiration, more than the love that angels felt for all of God's creation.
It was the love that humans shared for each other.
That love was both alien and marvelous, uplifting and devastating. He thought of the burden and reward of flesh and knew there was only one choice. Risk was the price of admission but the potential reward made any sacrifice worthwhile.
He wasn't ready to abandon mortality.
Much less Lilia.
"Arrangements have been made for the return of your wings..."
The angel spoke with the calm detachment that had once been familiar to Montgomery and now was utterly foreign.
He interrupted the angel.
"I want to stay." He felt the angel's shock at his request and hastened to explain himself. "I request another assignment. There is much to do. Lucifer is manifest..."
The angel spoke calmly. "We know of this, Munkar."
"But he has targeted Lilia's child..."
"You cannot aid her, Munkar. Not without revealing her location to those who watch."
"But she is in danger..."
"Raphael is worthy of his assignment." The angel showed an indifference—or confidence—that Montgomery couldn't share. He had spoken with Lucifer and felt his malice.
"I need to stay"
The angel seemed startled by Montgomery's intent. He fell silent, then spoke with caution. "It was not the plan for you to do so."
Montgomery sensed the angelic resistance to what he asked. "I can't just leave, not now, not when so much hangs in the balance."
There was a pause that seemed to last half an eternity. "You argue with the urgency of a human, Munkar." The angel's tone was cautious but Montgomery wasn't fooled: his request was possible. "Be advised, Munkar, that we may not be able to intervene in future on your behalf. If you die in human form, there is no return to our abode. The soul returns to the divine, a spark reuniting with the flame, but your wings and your celestial existence will be lost to you forever. We have already lost Raziel and have no desire to lose another volunteer."
A sense of purpose filled Montgomery. "I understand." Even he heard the defiant hope of humanity in his own words.
"You choose with your heart." There was amusement in the angel's tone. "Perhaps you know best where you belong, Munkar."
He felt the heat of the angel drawing near, felt the singe of a kiss planted just below his ear, and his tears rose at the greatness of the gift he was being given. "Be well, Munkar. Know that you are blessed and that you will be missed."
"Thank you," he whispered audibly, but the angel wasn't done with him.
"I have a charge to entrust to you. See that she has good care."
The angel's light began to fade as Montgomery opened his eyes. He saw a young girl release the angel's hand, her eyes wide with wonder. She smiled and turned to him, and he realized that she was the small shade from the New Gotham circus.
"Micheline!" he heard Lilia breathe behind him.
"Angel," the little girl said to Montgomery and he offered his hand to her. She put her fingers in his and stepped away from the fading angelfire, her trust and confidence making him smile. "They said you would take care of me," she said.
"Yes," Montgomery said and turned to L
ilia. "We will."
Joy made Montgomery's heart pound and he turned to find Lilia watching him with trepidation, her hands at her mouth. Micheline ran to her and Lilia pulled the child close, her tears spilling as she stared at Montgomery. Her heart was in her eyes.
He had something to tell her but Tupperman stepped out of the shadows in that moment, an ignition card in his hand.
"I had a feeling you'd stay," the older man said to Montgomery as Lilia hugged Micheline. The little girl sat on her hip, showing a confidence in the proceedings that Lilia couldn't echo.
Montgomery was staying.
He offered the ignition card to Montgomery. "We'll trade vehicles. It will take longer for your disappearance to be tracked that way."
"Did we intervene in time?" Montgomery asked.
The older man nodded and Lilia felt relief. "Pick up a daily download tomorrow, wherever you are. It's going to be fine." He spared a glance to Lilia. "Drive carefully. I'll be in touch."
He winked, smiled at Lilia, then departed quickly with the ignition card from the hot bike.
Silence filled the warehouse. Lilia wanted desperately to know what was happening but wasn't sure what to ask. Montgomery surveyed her, his eyes gleaming. He looked proud and satisfied, although she wasn't sure why. Her own heart was pounding. "He's another one?"
Montgomery nodded, his gaze unswerving. "I didn't know until yesterday."
"How many are there of you?"
He shrugged and smiled. "I don't know. Maybe I'll find out."
"You are staying, then?"
Montgomery nodded and took a step closer. "I asked for another assignment. I guess I'll be reporting to Tupperman this time."
Lilia swallowed, not feeling nearly so tranquil. "Here in New Gotham?"
"Not necessarily."
Montgomery took the last step between them and lifted Micheline from Lilia's embrace. "Could you go see what kind of vehicle he's left us?" he asked the child, who scampered away to do his bidding.
Then Montgomery lifted Lilia's hand in his and laced their fingers together. He watched her as steadily as Ar-maros and Baraqiel could, and seemed to be waiting for something.
It was now or never.
"You could come home to the Frontier with me," Lilia said, her words falling in a rush. "My mother cooks a mean chicken tortellini, you know, and—"
Montgomery's fingertip fell across her lips, silencing her. She met his gaze, surprised to find his eyes sparkling with laughter. "You've been working at the circus too long, Lil," he said quietly.
"How so?"
"You're baiting your hook twice." Montgomery smiled. "I love you, Lil. Wherever you are is where I want to be."
Lilia had no chance to respond in kind. Montgomery bent and kissed her so thoroughly then that she didn't have a shred of doubt left in her heart.
They stepped into the twilight to discover that Tupper-man had left them a touring bike with a sidecar and a full tank of fuel. Micheline was already exploring the stash of provisions. Lilia tucked her into the sidecar and closed it securely. Micheline looked as if she was going to go to sleep.
"You should try my mom's tortellini before you make such a big decision," she teased when he started the bike.
Montgomery laughed, a rare and welcome sound. "Your mother already made the only force that could change my life, Lil."
She got on the bike behind Montgomery, knowing that they'd be home on the Frontier the next day.
Home.
With Montgomery.
Fighting together for justice in the Republic.
It couldn't get any better than that.
From The Republican Record November 1, 2099
Terrorists Charged in Chicago Attack
New D.C.—In a daring last-minute intervention, an attempted assassination attack upon the president has been thwarted.
Late last night, on the president's return from his treaty mission to China, Republic One landed at the Estevan airport on the Frontier. The terrorists planned to kill all aboard, but were foiled when their plans were prematurely revealed. Republic One landed as scheduled, but the terrorists were overwhelmed and killed by Republic forces.
A large quantity of enriched uranium was discovered at the airport, leading to speculation that the terrorists had even more fearsome plans for the Republic.
"Diligent police work led to the timely infiltration of a key terrorist cell in New Gotham," said a spokesperson for the Continent Security Commission. "It is our honor to be of service in protecting our leader and commander. The investigation is ongoing, however, and the threat of terrorism omnipresent."
Initial reports indicate that the assassination attempt might have been made by rebel forces working on behalf of the Chinese.
The president of the Republic issued a brief formal statement from the White House today, expressing his gratitude to and admiration of the Republic's police forces, calling them "tireless and vigilant." Presidential candidate Maximilian Blackstone has challenged the official version of events, insisting that the Republic is disguising the near-failure of security forces in defending the president. He cites the president's own budget cuts, made to what Blackstone labels "critical defense." Blackstone has vowed to double the military and defense budgets of the Republic if elected.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
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