by Michael Todd
“So, what’s up? You coming home? I got a new pad for us to chill in when we’re in New York.”
“I leave you for a week, and you go buying condos in the city?” Calvin chuckled. “Actually, I decided I’m going to spend the rest of my vacation in San Diego. I can eat tacos, get to know the locals a little better, relax.”
“Mmmhmm,” Katie murmured with a raised eyebrow. “Are you getting to know the locals or a local?”
Calvin laughed, knowing Katie was too smart to fall for that. “A local, if you must know.”
“Well, enjoy yourself, because I’m putting you to work when you get back.”
“Deal.” Calvin laughed and hung up.
Schultz and some other detectives from precincts all over the city had made their way up onto the roof, half to see Katie and half to get away from the crowds below. Two officers came up behind them carrying pizza boxes and six-packs of beer. Katie clapped her hands excitedly, ready to chow down after that whole affair. Before she could join them, her phone buzzed again, and she groaned as she pulled it out of her pocket.
“You thought you wouldn’t be popular after that stunt?” Schultz called out, laughing with everyone else.
Katie smiled and looked down at the general’s name on the screen. She put her hand up to the detectives and put a finger over her lips. She mouthed the word “general” to him and stepped off toward the giant hole in the roof.
“General Brushwood, how are you?”
“A lot better now that the President is safely onboard Air Force One and headed back to Washington. That was one hell of a stunt you pulled, and I have to say I’m really relieved it worked out as it did. I was afraid we would be scraping the President off the sidewalk.”
Katie laughed. “Nah, just dusting him off a bit.”
“I won’t lie, that part was kind of funny. I do have a question for you, though.”
“Shoot.”
“Why in the hell are you still on the top of the building?”
“Because the building is surrounded by hungry reporters. I really don’t want to deal with them. Plus, these guys brought me pizza—and, if they love me, donuts. They really don’t want to have to deal with me going down there either. It would be like throwing me to the wolves. So, we decided the view was too good not to just hang out up here.”
“Now, I don’t mind you hiding from the reporters since we don’t need any clear shots of you hitting the news, but I do have to ask that you go inside. Your plan has a bit of a flaw.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
“The news helicopters keep showing pictures of you guys from above.”
Katie looked up at the choppers floating in the air around them. She hadn’t even thought about it. She was hoping they would have the airspace cleared out soon, since it was technically illegal to fly their choppers that close to the buildings in that area.
“Yeah, sorry about that. I’ll move everyone inside.”
“Good deal. And good work, Katie, and Pandora of course. You guys really saved the day. I knew sending you to New York was a good idea. I just wasn’t sure how the opportunity would present itself.”
“I kind of like it out here, too.”
“Uh-oh, don’t go all Sex and the City on me.”
Katie laughed loudly. “Goodbye, General.”
“Goodbye.”
Katie put the phone back into her pocket and turned around, putting her hands in the air. “All right, boys. Let’s move it inside. The general said there are too many pictures from the choppers. I think there’s enough room in the stairwell for us to post-op—if the building doesn’t fall down around us.”
“That would be a really shitty end to this day.” Schultz scoffed as he walked toward the stairwell.
When they entered the enclosed area, the news reporters began to move out, pissed that they’d missed their opportunity to get a good shot of Katie. They assumed the guys on the ground would be waiting when they came out the other side, but those below didn’t have the same confidence. They had waited for Katie before, thinking there was no way she could get out of the place, but had never run into her.
Katie and the officers sat joking around, enjoying their pizzas and donuts. Katie leaned against the wall, munching on a Krispy Kreme as the cops hilariously replayed the events of the day. They especially loved the part where the demon had to pick a bullet out of his ass. It had been the perfect moment to capture a meme-worthy photo.
“Hell, there are already memes flooding Facebook.”
Katie laughed. “Hey, if you don’t try to have fun in your job you’ll end up hating it, right?”
Later on, after the sun had gone down, the detectives and officers headed down to the bottom of the broken building and came out the front doors. The reporters jumped to their feet, cameras flashing and questions being shouted. After a moment, though, they settled down, realizing the officers were alone. Katie was nowhere to be seen. Instead, they carried seven empty pizza boxes and five empty Krispy Kreme containers.
“Detective,” one of the reporters yelled. “Where is Katie? We’ve been waiting to talk to her.”
The detective shrugged and smirked slightly. The other reporters shouted questions to the officers, but they acted like they had no idea where Katie had gone. The reporters dropped their mics and watched the detectives walk down the sidewalks. One reporter stepped forward and put his hands in the air.
“Come on, you gotta give us something. We’ve been out here all day. We need to know where Katie went. Is she safe? Is she okay? Why won’t she talk to us?”
Schultz turned around, rubbing the pizza sauce out of his goatee. He smiled and let out a breath, finding the whole situation more than amusing. He put his hands up to quiet the reporters and cleared his throat.
“The mission, though brutal, was a success.”
The reporters groaned, having heard the same scripted speech repeatedly that day. The detective laughed and shook his head.
“Katie is safe, but we don’t know where she is. Perhaps she grew wings and flew off.”
The reporters rolled their eyes and started packing up their bags. Schultz looked at the roof with a smile and headed to his car. He didn’t know how she planned to get down, but she’d asked for privacy, and she deserved it.
Katie stood on the edge of the building, her hair blowing wildly around her. She could see the oranges and reds of the setting sun in the distance. Below, it was dark, the buildings blocking the last of the sunset, but up here she felt like she could see the whole world. She stepped closer to the side and peered over the edge, mumbling to herself.
What are you thinking? Pandora asked.
“You just have to have faith,” she whispered.
Oh, faith? I have to be honest with you here, Katie. That’s never been one of my strong suits. I’m more of a realistic kind of girl. If I see it, I believe it.
Katie stared out, lifting her arms in the air and shutting her eyes, feeling the wind whipping around her. Pandora started to stir, very nervous that Katie was acting so weird and standing so close to the edge of the building. Katie whispered the phrase again, this time tilting her head toward the sky.
You are kind of close to the edge there, dude. Seriously, you’re going to fall off, and I can’t fix smushed.
Suddenly, the phone in Katie’s pocket began to buzz, bringing her attention back to the present. She stepped off the ledge and pulled her phone from her pocket, ignoring Pandora’s sigh of relief. It was her real estate agent again.
“Hello?”
“Katie, it’s Iris, and I have some brilliant news. The owners have accepted your offer, and they’re pushing it through first thing tomorrow. Congratulations! I have to admit, you kind of made me nervous. I didn’t know what you were thinking with that counterbid, but as sure as I stand here, it worked! They couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tell people they knew Katie from Katie’s Killers in some way. I told them you’re very shy so there will be no meet and greet,
which they were disappointed by, but they were still excited to sell to you.”
“That is really great news.” Katie smirked. “I had a feeling they would come around. Circa is where I wanted to be, but I wasn’t going to let them bully me into a higher price than I originally offered. I don’t care how nice the place is. I was ready to go to Hoboken and get a really nice place there for half the price.”
“Oh, God,” Iris exclaimed. “The thought of living in Jersey gives me chills. I’m extra-glad we were able to make this all work out, knowing that.”
“I’m glad too.” Katie laughed. “And I’m glad it helps you as well. I know you get a killer commission off it.”
“Yes. Yes, I do,” she agreed happily.
“Well, thank you for all your help, and I will look out for your call when it’s time to sign the papers and transfer the funds.”
“Sounds great. I’ll be in touch.”
Katie hung up and smiled, excited that she had gotten her way and now had a brand-new home in New York City. Calvin was going to freak when he found out how much money she’d spent, but it was well worth it. After a demon-slaying like today, the cost of the condo would be a drop in the bucket. She called Angie, knowing she was waiting.
“Holy shit,” Angie cursed when she answered the phone. “Thank God you’re okay. Where the hell are you?”
Katie chuckled. “Aw, you care!”
“Of course I do.”
“I’m on a roof, but that’s not why I called. We got the call, and the condo is mine!”
“Yay! That’s awesome!”
“I need you to get everything set up now because we should be closing on the house in the next day or so. Set up the proposals from the designers and we’ll go over all of them tomorrow.”
“I’m already right on top of it, boss. The three proposals and quotes are all lined up on my kitchen table, waiting on you. One of them is pop-up.”
Katie laughed. “Above and beyond.”
“Yeah, if you like dragons.”
“Uh, what?”
“You’ll have to see it to understand.”
“Right.” Katie giggled. “All right, I am going to head out of here. I’ll be home in a bit, and we can go to some greasy spoon if you’re hungry. I ate a pizza and a box of donuts, but I’m always up for a second dinner.”
“I don’t understand how you don’t weigh three hundred pounds.”
“I’m on the demon diet, and it’s fabulous. It even sculpts and tones.”
Angie chuckled. “Goodbye, and for God’s sake, be careful coming home.”
“I always am.” Katie smiled and hung up.
She put the phone to her lips and looked at the sparkling lights across the city. She smiled to herself and put her phone in her pocket, making sure all her weapons were secured in place. She rolled her neck and stretched her arms over her head.
You getting ready to work out or something? Pandora asked.
No, but I think I understand now what Gabriel was telling me.
Huh?
Without another word Katie took off across the roof, heading for the ledge. Pandora started screaming and panicked, sure Katie had finally lost her damn mind,
What the fuck? Slow down! Stop! Don’t you do it!
Katie leaped off the side of the building, swan-diving out and down. She grinned, feeling the wind against her face, nothing but Pandora’s screams echoing through her ears. She was completely, one-hundred-and-ten-percent calm. When she was halfway down the building, giant wings sprang from her back and spread out wide, stopping her plummet and lifting her on the air. Katie put her hands out and opened her eyes, laughing excitedly.
Oh, this is just fucking beautiful. What the fuck are those things? Duck wings?
Oh, Pandora, let it go a little and enjoy the ride.
Possibly after I stop my heart from beating out of my chest and clean up the shit in my pants. Maybe then I will enjoy the fact that you have fucking angel wings and you’re soaring through the streets of New York fucking City.
Katie laughed as she swooped down and back up again. The people in the street stared up in wonder. They swore they saw someone, a person with wide, feathered angel wings, but the city was so dark, they couldn’t be sure. Katie laughed wildly, swooping between the buildings before soaring high up in the air over the tallest and gliding for a moment. She let out a deep breath, staring down at the beautiful lights of the city below and the Statue of Liberty in the distance.
As they swooped over the 9/11 memorial, Katie hovered for a moment, thankful that what had happened earlier that day had been nothing even close to that tragedy. She soared over the Brooklyn bridge and watched the cars for a short time. She moved through the suburban areas, smiling at the people in the windows, having dinner, talking and laughing with their families.
So, Falcon. Pandora chuckled. What are we going to do now? We saved the city and the President and decided to start a new business. I know you have something else up your sleeve.
I think now I’m looking for the right man.
Pandora snorted. Well, honey, you’re demon-infected, a Damned mercenary with angel genes and huge feathered wings on your back. Granted, you still have perfect hips and tits, but I don’t know if you will ever find the right guy.
Katie laughed as she soared through the city, shaking her head. I didn’t say a man for forever. I just need a man for right now.
Pandora snickered, relaxing a bit and enjoying the view through Katie’s eyes. She couldn’t help thinking that maybe—just maybe—the whole flying thing wouldn’t be that bad. No more cabs, no more choppers, just clear, clean skies. Pandora’d had a feeling all along that there was something angelic about Katie, but it took her a while to admit it to herself. The Queen of the Damned, stuck in an angel body, what kind of weird shit had she ended up involved in? The thought made her laugh, and she hollered as Katie swooped about ten more blocks and landed on the empty sidewalk.
Katie folded her wings and reached for the front door, smiling as she swung it open and disappeared inside.
Death Becomes Her
Have you read The Kurtherian Gambit, from Michael (Todd) Anderle?
Available at Amazon
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
Written July 1, 2018
WOOT!
First, thank you for reading our stories, and of course in particular this one!
We are smack-dab in the middle of major changes in the war and society with Katie and the rest of the Damned. Brock is updating his life as he moves forward, and what the hell is up with Mr. Casanova (commonly called Calvin)? That man escapes from Pandora for long enough and he gets involved with a damsel in distress and stays with her.
If that doesn’t scream “the rules have changed,” nothing will. For those who have not read the Protected by the Damned series, before Incursion Day, those who are Damned were not allowed to interact with normal society—especially in the area of romance.
We know that Katie is special now, and due to that, we see how she has been able to be the vessel that is strong enough to contain Pandora.
Personally, I believe there is more in store for the two of them as together they start to learn more about Katie’s abilities, and her desire to feel like she is a bit more in charge of her life. While Pandora has shown aspects of her personality that lean towards Katie’s, we see Katie start to lean towards Pandora.
I believe most older readers will remember the adage, “You become who you hang around with” and it is proving true for our troublesome duo.
In the next book (which will be here in about two to three weeks—look for a pre-order opportunity soon) Katie and Calvin have some unfinished business to clean up, the condo is moving along, and there is a new threat exploding underneath a church.
Moloch and Baal are back, and they decide to attack somewhere unexpected.
Personal Thanks!
I’d like to take a quick moment to thank EVERYONE who is a part of making these s
tories. From collaborators, to cover artist(s), to JIT and editors, Stephen and Jami and Amazon’s infrastructure as well.
We (indie publishers) can’t do what we do at the speed we accomplish our production without a LOT of people being involved.
Including you, the fans!
I try to get to Facebook on the Kurtherian Gambit page, the KG Group and the Protected by the Damned group as often as I can. I read the posts going back and forth amongst the fans and smile, knowing that this is beyond me now.
Our stories have taken a life of their own.
Thank you for giving a guy like me the blessing of your time, your support, and your encouragement as we build new worlds of characters who give a damn about each other.
So that we as readers can occasionally dip into a place where friends are there for each other, as I think we all enjoy.
At least, I can say that I do.
EAR CRUSH
Do you like to read, but sometimes life intrudes? Hit up Ear Crush and listen to LMBPN Stories read TO you…
For free!
I know many of you are Audible listeners, but some of you aren’t and that is ok.
Stephen Campbell is your host for a podcast (downloadable audio) called Ear Crush that has our Award nominated and award winning talent reading short stories NOT AVAILBLE on audio anywhere else!
For example, our first short story, already available, is Tabitha’s Vacation, narrated by Emily Beresford. This short story was produced for an anthology called Beyond the Stars – At Galaxy’s Edge and recently recorded for Ear Crush as the first short.
Many more are in production. I encourage you to check out Steve’s effort to bring great stories in audio to you for no charge. Just click the link, and see if Apple iTunes or Stitcher (which has a web option) will work for you.