by Alexie Aaron
Lazar managed to keep up with the two. He would have to deal with the sores that the uneven terrain caused when the prosthetic didn’t stay snug to his stump. He watched the body language of Mia and Tom. He saw an ease there that he’d seen before with Cid and Ted. Mia didn’t see Tom’s comments as critical, as she would with someone else. There was a trust that would only be given to someone whom you grew up with.
They cleared the trees and skirted the sinkholes, heading for the PEEPs vehicles.
Ted dropped the sawed-off shotgun he had grabbed out of Mia’s file drawer, ran towards her, and picked her up in a bear hug. “I was just coming back for you. We put in a call to Chambers, and he’s got three cars coming out. Tom, you better check in,” he said, still holding on to Mia.
Lazar pulled open the van door, sat down, and took his prosthetic limb off.
Ted set Mia down. “What’s wrong? Why didn’t you fly back?”
“I didn’t want to tax my body too much. That grenade blast ruffled my feathers.”
“There’s something else, isn’t there?”
“My nose is bleeding again.”
The color drained out of Ted’s face. He tilted her chin and stared into her eyes. “You’re going to be alright. We’ll call Judy or Sariel.”
“First, let’s let Doctor Walters handle this,” Mia said.
“But they aren’t miracle workers,” Ted argued.
“Let’s see if I need a miracle first. In the meanwhile, give me a moment to rest. My body will recover, and then I’ll hit the skies again. I’ll need a microchip tracker.”
“Is capturing Blair worth it?” Ted asked.
“He’s only going to get worse. It would be irresponsible to let him go when we have a chance to imprison him.”
“Why not let the creature have him?” Ted asked.
“I don’t think that’s what Tom wants. He feels that Ethan and Rory need to see justice served. In Blair’s case, he needs to be locked up. I have no doubt, with his connections, it will be a posh prison, but he needs to be taken out of society. He can do so much harm.”
“Is this how you feel?”
“No, but I’m used to dealing with demons and whatnot.”
Ted smiled. He wrapped his arms around Mia and held her.
“Great job with the Oculars,” Mia said. “I’d like to have a few with wings.”
“Those would be classified as drones, and we may run into trouble with that.”
Audrey walked over. “I hate to break this up, but, Mia, could you take a look at Lazar’s leg?”
“Sure,” Mia said and untangled herself from Ted’s arms.
Audrey put her hand on Ted to get him to stay put.
“Cid listened in on your conversation. Before you get mad, I asked him to. Orion is concerned about Mia. He heard rumors that Elizabeth may have exacerbated a condition that Mia had brewing. I’m going to speak with Mia. Orion thinks Idra would be willing to look her over.”
“She’ll never trust the Aerie again,” Ted said. “I doubt if she’ll let Idra touch her. I’m going to go with her to Doctor Walters.”
“Just make sure it’s soon,” Audrey said.
Mia closed her eyes and put a cooling hand on Lazar’s irritated stump. She opened herself up to the healing mages and let herself drift as they worked through her.
“Mia,” Lazar’s voice seemed to come from far away. “Mia,” he repeated.
Mia opened her eyes and focused on his face. “I’m sorry, did you say something?”
“Where are we?” he asked.
Mia got up and looked around. They were on a beach. Lazar was sitting on part of a shipwreck bleached by the sun. “I’m not sure. Is this real or are we in a memory of yours?”
“The only ocean I saw was the Atlantic as we flew over it on our way to Afghanistan. It’s not my memory.”
“Roumain!” Mia called, but there was no answer. “It reminds me of a place he would take me to. But he would be here gloating,” she explained.
“Relax,” a male voice said from the water. “Haven’t you worked hard enough?”
Mia raised her hand to fight the glare of a strong emerald green light upon the azure water.
“There is more to do. A psychopath to catch…”
“He’s not going anywhere. Relax and enjoy the water,” the voice directed. “Carry your friend to me, Mia.”
“You know me, but do I know you?”
“You’re awfully friendly with my brother Michael.”
“He’s my boss,” Mia clarified and hefted Lazar up in her arms. She walked to the water’s edge, glanced down at her boots, and sighed. She’d just have to get them wet.
“Mia, what’s going on?” Lazar asked, worried.
“I’m doing as I’m told - which is rather amazing as it goes against my nature.” Mia waded into the warm water. “Which brother are you?” she addressed the green light.
“I heard that you’re not religious,” the voice said. “But you’re knowledgeable. Guess.”
Mia was now waist deep. The water helped her with Lazar’s weight. “Let’s see… Roumain was worried that I was connected with another archangel when I raised a body from the dead. Turns out it was Michael all along. You know how shy he is.”
This caused the angel to laugh. His laugh was different than the robust laugh of Michael. His was indulgent.
“Are you made of light? I can’t see you.”
“Come closer, Mia.”
Lazar was now floating. Mia was up to her chest in the water. Her boots kept her anchored.
“You spent your free days studying demons, but you could spare no time for archangels,” the voice chastised.
“Sounds like me. With angels, there is so much to weed through. What is truth, and what is just wishful thinking on the recording human’s part. With a demon, it is what it is.”
“I’m going to have to disagree. Stop or you’ll drown. Let Lazar go.”
“I’m responsible for him.”
“Mia, I’m alright,” Lazar assured her. “I’ve never felt better.”
“See, have a little faith. What is it they call you?”
“Sariel calls me Misfit.”
“No, what do Angelo and Victor call you?”
Mia gritted her teeth and said through them, “Little Bird.”
“Little Bird, yes, that’s it. But I’ve seen the wings you’re sporting. Little Bird doesn’t fit anymore.”
The emerald light became an aura of green surrounding a golden angel standing waist deep in the calm sea. His light brown hair was a mass of ringlets kept out of his eyes by a golden band. His eyes were similar to Michael’s, but his face was flawless. “I’m Raphael, the archangel of healing.”
“You’re a handy guy to have around.”
“Yes, I know. Rumor has it that you’re the first creature to be able to heal us. You interest me very much.”
“An accident of fate, but I’m happy to help.”
“Mia, don’t lie to me.”
“Okay, I’m on Michael’s leash, but really, I would have come when called.”
“She’s a good person, sir,” Lazar said, floating by.
“She’s also very ill,” Raphael said.
“So the bloody nose…”
“A symptom.”
“Aneurism?” Mia asked.
“No. Tumor. Fast growing. How’s your memory?”
“Fu… funny you should say that. Not so good. How long do I have?” Mia asked. “The reason I ask is that there is this psychopath who needs rounding up and…”
“Oh, I’m not going to let you die,” Raphael said.
“What’s it going to cost me?” Mia asked.
“My, it’s true then. You don’t have any reverence for angels,” Raphael commented.
“I’ve been burned before by your kind. Ever tear any wings off?”
“Ever try seducing Sariel?”
“This is getting interesting,” the floating Lazar said.
&nb
sp; “Aren’t you one of the hail and brimstone guys?”
“Are you an assassin?”
“Why don’t you guys just kiss and get it over with,” Lazar said, feeling way too good.
Mia started laughing. “Raphael, I’m sorry. I’m just so tired of being a pawn, a pet, and a…”
“Pirate,” Lazar added.
“What did you give him?” Mia asked.
“Sometimes, I think it’s a shame. When I get feeling better, when I’m feeling no pain…” Lazar crooned.
“Now he’s singing Gordon Lightfoot,” Mia said.
“I like Gordon Lightfoot,” Lazar said.
“Mia, I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that I won’t ask you for a favor sometime in the future, but I’m healing you because we need you. Aside from Altair, you’re the only one who can face Michael and Lucifer in the same day and live.”
“Did Elizabeth give me the tumor?” Mia asked.
“No. Your unique genes are in conflict with each other. When you and Michael vanquished the demon, you fell out of balance. Your cells rushed to fill the space. Elizabeth or Michael wouldn’t have seen it growing until it was too late.”
“How can you see it?”
“It’s my job. I’m not a destroyer of wings, nor a general of armies. I’m a healer and a guider.”
“Roumain doesn’t like you,” Mia told him.
“I sent him to purgatory. I don’t image he would. But he does a good job there.”
“That he does,” Mia agreed.
“Why didn’t you go with Altair?” Raphael asked.
“How do you know about that?” Mia asked, feeling exposed.
“Mia, like Michael, I can read your mind, heart, and soul.”
“Then you know already.”
“I want to hear you tell me.”
“I’m not a teacher; I’m a fighter. This new world sounds wonderful, but I’ve got a stake in this planet.”
Raphael smiled. “This is why I shall heal you.”
“You’re not going to put the demon back are you?”
“No. But you need balance. Superhuman, human, birdman… angel?”
“Um, she’s no angel,” Lazar said. “She’s a good person but…”
“Is it bad form to drown one’s employee in the healing sea?” Mia asked.
Raphael laughed. “Yes, very bad form. And a big mistake. You see, the solution to your problem is Lazar. I’m surprised that you haven’t figured this out for yourself, Mia.”
“I’m not that bright.”
“Again you lie to me. No wonder my brother sports a knitted brow.”
“I’m not a genius. I’m surrounded by geniuses. I know the difference.”
“Your youthful experiences have made you doubt yourself, or humbled you…” Raphael said. “What do you and Lazar have in common?”
Mia looked at the man floating by. Her eye could not help but be drawn to what was missing. “He sacrificed his leg to save his unit, and I would have sacrificed mine to save my unborn child if Michael hadn’t stopped me.”
“Very good. We can’t put demon into you. Your marriage would be destroyed, and your children would lose a mother. But there is a darkness you can control, one that is as old as the fall.”
“Crone magic,” Mia said. “But Lazar isn’t a crone.”
“He carries it. Crone magic is passed down through the males and females, but only the females can use it. It was born in darkness. It kept the females safe when the men went hunting. The women were vulnerable when they were out gathering in the forests. This dark magic gave them entrance to Mother Nature’s hidden dimensions and the knowledge of how to heal using the natural world.”
“But if you take it from him, it will end with his line,” Mia said. “Too much has been taken from him already. And if you do, won’t it unbalance him?”
Raphael looked fondly at the woman before him. She would rather die than end a magical line or have Lazar experience further harm. “The gene is dormant. He doesn’t need it to remain in balance. His line will continue through you. Lazar sacrificed more than his leg.”
“I don’t understand,” Mia said. “I’ve put my hands on him. Aside from his leg, he’s whole.”
“Tell her Lazar.”
“The VA doctor told me that the blast made me sterile.”
“But, Raphael, you can change that or Michael can,” Mia argued.
“There are some things that are beyond us.”
“You raise people from the dead. You guys are mega stars,” Mia argued.
“There are some things we can’t do,” Raphael insisted.
“Take it, I don’t need it. Consider it a gift, Mia,” Lazar offered.
“He has something you need. What do you have to offer him?” Raphael asked.
“Relief from the pain… mental stability…” She closed her eyes and focused. “And a chance for his line to move through me, like Ed’s now does,” Mia realized. “Oh, but that means another child, and frankly, I’m not doing so well in the child-rearing area right now.”
“Brian will settle down once he has figured out he isn’t a birdman. Mia, you need to share your mind house with Lazar. Together, you can shore up the walls of his, which the blast has torn apart.”
“How is that possible?”
“This is what I’m good at, Mia. I give peace to the troubled. I calm the turbulent seas of the anxiety ridden. I heal or point the ailing in the direction of health. Lazar has been heading in your direction ever since his heroic sacrifice. You have been headed in his direction since Michael turned your demon into ash.”
“I’m afraid,” Mia admitted. “With every change, there is a price.”
“Because you think this way, there will be,” Raphael said sadly. “Change the way you think, and you will free yourself.”
Mia looked at the angel and saw the wisdom of his words. “I put myself in your hands. Thank you for your care.”
“Lazar?” Raphael asked.
“Take what you need. Mia has always been so very kind to me.”
Mia felt herself rise out of the water while Lazar moved from floating horizontally to standing with one leg on the water. Raphael moved Mia’s body an angel’s breath away from Lazar.
“Mia, move into Lazar’s mind house while I take away the tumor.”
Mia bent slightly and touched her forehead to Lazar’s. She stepped into his mind.
Lazar was there to greet her. “Welcome. Please excuse the mess.”
Mia looked around and saw the crumbling walls. Inside, it was calm, but she could see a battle waging just the other side of the fragile mud and timber walls. Lazar was whole. He had both legs, on which he stood. His eyes took her in, and he swallowed hard.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, fearing she had shown up naked. She ran her hands over the familiar hoodie and cargo pants, relieved.
“How old are you?” he asked.
“Young. I’m the age I was when I returned to Big Bear Lake. It’s my reset persona. You’re looking good.”
“I need two good legs to navigate my nightmares,” Lazar said. “What do we do now?”
“I’m going to help you rebuild your mind house into a safe place to start with. Why mud?”
“I never thought about it.”
“Clay and timber? I don’t get it,” she said, walking around. “You don’t want to feel safe, do you?”
“What’s your mind look like?” he asked.
“More like a fortress. Once, I had a breach in the outer wall. Ted filled it in with Legos.”
“Sounds like him. Who all has been in your mind?” Lazar asked.
“Too many to count. I hang with a bunch of mind readers and supernatural critters. I have learned to hide my most sensitive memories behind locked doors. Unlike you, you’re pretty exposed here,” Mia said.
“It used to be different, then the explosion. It never was set right again. I was hoping you could help me. I was thinking a few throw pillows…”
Mia couldn’t help laughing. “We’ll work on this together,” she promised.
“Mia, come back,” Raphael instructed. “Bring Lazar with you.”
“You heard the angel.”
“How do I exit my mind?”
Mia reached out a hand and grasped Lazar’s firmly in hers. “Come on over to my house. I have fresh baked cookies.”
Lazar smiled and allowed himself to be led over to her mind.
Chapter Thirty-three
Ethan drove his jeep out of the Sheriff’s Department lot where he had escorted Deb and Vince. Charlie and Tub promised to put the skiff back after they had done a little fishing. He watched as Deb explained a few things to a Deputy Chambers. Chambers kept looking over at him. Ethan was getting the feeling that he would soon be sharing a cell with Vince.
Ethan started to cough and excused himself as he was pointed to the nearest restroom. Ethan breezed by it and headed out the back door.
“Dear Diary, I’ve just broken out of jail,” he said as he ran over to where his jeep was parked. “I have a feeling they were looking for a way of stopping me doing the stupid thing I’m doing right now. Watch out world, Ethan Aldridge has turned rogue and is now hunting down Blair Summerfield.”
Mia opened her eyes. Her hand was still on Lazar’s stump. She withdrew it and saw that healing had taken place. She looked up at him and smiled.
“Thank you, Mia,” Lazar said, reaching for his prosthesis. “I had this whacked-out dream about us.”
“I had one too. Do I look any different?” Mia asked.
“My last memory was of a tattered hoodie and these soulful green eyes.”
“No, I mean, do I have to explain anything? Any visible tattoos?”
“Not that I can see,” Lazar said, adjusting his leg. “You promised to help me build a better mind house.”
“Yes. You gave me your crone genes.”
“You may not thank me later, but I meant well.”
A tall shadow preceded Ted’s arrival. “How’s your leg?” he asked Lazar.
“If feels amazing. I mean, it doesn’t hurt,” Lazar said quickly.
“How long were we gone?” Mia asked her husband, standing up.
“I was staring at you the entire time. You never left. Why did Roumain snatch you again?”