Crossroads

by Alexie Aaron [Aaron, Alexie]

  “But I am,” Mia protested. “Superhuman, like He-who-walks-through-time. I’m also part birdman, crone, and I have been granted grace.”

  “You were constructed to be an assassin by Fredricka Cooper. You were nurtured to hate demons and your sexuality was beefed up so that you could seduce Abigor Duke of Hades before you killed him. Listen up, demons, she’s not your friend!” Bev called to the creatures she assumed sat in the shadowy seats.

  “How do you know all of this?” Mia asked.

  “Fredricka discussed it with me when I wanted to know why she ceased to be interested in my wants and needs.”

  “Oh, that’s right. You were the failed experiment. Do you know who your parents are? Were you able to convince her to chart your lineage? Maybe find out how you became a psychopath?”

  “I’m no such thing. I love. I love Guillaume.”

  “Then you must love Gerald too. He has done so much for you. He confessed sins that weren’t his for you. He is the ultimate hero. How can you not love him?” Mia questioned.

  “I can only love one man. I will always love Guillaume thanks to the Cooper curse.”

  “But you’re not a Cooper.”

  “I don’t think that matters.”

  “Charles Cooper was cursed, and when the object of his obsession died, so did the curse. Guillaume is dead. It isn’t the curse that keeps you attached.”

  “You have never loved anyone this strong. You’re the psychopath,” Bev spat.

  “But I have. No matter how many times I die, I still love. The reason you hurt me so tremendously with your betrayals is because I loved you.”

  Bev flinched. Mia had used the past tense of love. Bev felt a chill move up and down her spine. There was a reason Mia chose not to involve any of Mia’s family or friends in this dispensing of justice. Mia did not want any witnesses. Bev would have to tread carefully.

  “Don’t you judge me,” Bev warned. “You can’t be impartial.”

  “I’m not the judge here, nor the prosecutor, but I am the executioner. It is my responsibility if the court demands your head.”

  “Are you going to let her talk to me that way?” she asked the darkness. “Where’s my lawyer?”

  “I’m here,” Gerald said, walking slowly out of the darkness.

  “But how can this be? You’re in prison.”

  “Your confession overruled mine. You stupid vain woman, bragging about your crimes and how I took the blame for them in front of Soren.”

  “What?” Bev asked. She walked closer to the bench, and as she did, the light above followed her. Before her sat Soren, Ameen from the Council of Women, the archangel Gabriel, and Themis, the ancient Greek Titaness. Themis, the lady of good counsel and personification of divine order and fairness, sat with her back ramrod straight, intent on hearing everything that was said. Bev looked at the judges and saw a hung jury. Surely Ameen would side against Mia, and Gabriel was not quiet about his distaste for Michael’s little pet. Themis could go either way. Soren was in Mia’s pocket. She probably promised to marry one of his bird boys in return for his vote.

  “Esteemed judges, may I consult with my client in private?” Gerald asked.

  “No,” Gabriel said. “We all know how powerful a wizard you are. You’ll just disappear, and we can’t have that.”

  Gerald turned and grabbed Bev’s arm. “Beverly, you have to be contrite, not boastful. You’re being judged by the magic council and not demons.”

  “I would like to call Mia Cooper Martin to testify,” Gerald said.

  Mia hid her surprise and walked up. She was directed to stand in front of the judges to answer her question. She wasn’t sworn in because, in a court of magic, there was no way to lie.

  “Why did you arrange to bring your aunt…”

  “There is no relation.”

  “Why did you bring Beverly here to be tried?” Gerald asked.

  “I had two reasons: first, to stop her from cursing my children; second, to set you free.”

  “For the record, I did not want to be set free,” Gerald said, addressing the judges.

  “Noted,” Ameen said.

  “Mia, what is your greatest weakness?”

  “I didn’t know I was on trial here?” Mia objected.

  “Humor me.”

  “I love and forgive too easily.”

  “Excuse me, how does this help me?” Bev complained.

  “Hush, or we’ll have you gagged,” Soren warned.

  “Why do you consider forgiveness a weakness?” Gerald asked.

  “Because it enables others to repeat bad behavior.”

  “Consequently, you are guilty of Beverly’s crimes.”

  “No, I am not. I’m just a good patsy.”

  “What is a patsy?” Themis asked.

  “A mark… a victim,” Gerald answered.

  “Thank you,” Themis said.

  “Is it true you have changed your mindset regarding Beverly?” Gerald asked.

  “Yes. I no longer see her as a sick woman. I see her as a danger to my family and friends.”

  “If you were sitting in judgement of her, how would you dispense justice?” he asked.

  “I’d have her sent to the dark world.”

  “But she’d have to be dead.”

  “Exactly,” Mia said, her eyes hard.

  “That’s rather extreme.”

  “She’s been arrested for the attempted murder of Angelo Michaels, kidnapping, and conspiring to do me bodily harm. She was found guilty but was let go. She was arrested again for the conspiracy of kidnapping my sons, filing a false terrorist report, and conspiring to kill me. Bev escaped prosecution because of a false confession. She was released. Bev could have chosen to leave me and my family alone. I wouldn’t have hunted her. But instead, she attended the celebration of my daughters’ christening in order to harm them and possibly my other children. Tell me if I’m being too extreme?”

  “Why don’t you just kill her?” Gerald said. “You’ve killed during battle. What would be the difference?”

  “It wouldn’t be lawful.”

  “You’re an assassin. It would be so easy.”

  “It wouldn’t be lawful,” Mia repeated.

  “Is this trial an excuse to get the universe’s permission to kill Beverly?” Gerald asked.

  “There are other punishments this body of law can dispense.”

  “Such as?”

  “I’m not a judge. I’m not a prosecutor. I’m an executioner.”

  “Could you kill your aunt…”

  “She’s not…”

  “Beverly,” Gerald corrected.

  “If a unanimous agreement was reached and I was instructed to do so, I would kill her. But I would make her wait years in a third-century prison for it. Or send her back to France to trudge through the line with the other people who took advantage of the less fortunate.”

  “Mia, that wasn’t justice,” Gerald said. “That was The Terror.”

  “Terror is seeing the horror in my sons’ eyes as they watched their home burn. Terror is fleeing while being hunted down by elemental dragons or Nephilim. Terror is knowing that she is walking free and can hurt the people I love at any moment. I brought her to this court not to find her guilty. We all know she’s guilty. She admitted it in front of the judges already. I brought her here, instead of taking her straight to Hell, because she’s got to know that the magical world doesn’t approve of her using magic to hurt others. She must understand the harm she does when she twists minds like Beth Bouvier’s. And finally, that her alliance with Quasar isn’t right.”

  “I’m finished with Mia Cooper Martin,” Gerald said. “I call Beverly Cooper.”

  Mia stepped back. Ed rubbed her shoulders, leaned in, and whispered, “You did well.”

  “Beverly, why have you targeted Mia Cooper Martin with your assaults?” Gerald asked.

  “She is a freak of nature, a machine en
gineered to kill. She and her offspring are a danger to society. Her own mother tried to snuff her out.”

  “Excuse me,” Gabriel said. “How do you know this?”

  “Because she must have…” Bev’s voice disappeared, and her throat started to close off.

  “You can’t lie here,” Themis reminded her. “How do you know that Amanda Cooper tried to kill her infant daughter?”

  “Because I told her to.”

  Gerald turned and looked at Beverly. His eyes seemed to see her for the first time.

  “What reason did you give her?” Gabriel asked.

  “I told her that she was used to bring the antichrist to the earth. Amanda isn’t religious, but she thought that it was a bad idea.”

  “You lied to get Amanda to kill her daughter,” Ameen clarified.

  “Yes. It would have worked had Charles not walked in.”

  Mia’s stomach twisted.

  “Were there other attempts by you to kill Mia Cooper?” Ameen asked.

  “No, but I did sell her to Angelo Michaels. That I believe was a big miscalculation on my part.”

  “Why?” Gerald asked.

  “That’s when Judge Roumain first met her. I traded her for Angelo’s ability to bring Guillaume back from the dead. That was a big cockup.”

  “When you look at Mia, what do you see?” Gerald asked.

  “My mother’s disappointed face.”

  “When you look at me, what do you see?” Gerald dared.

  “A patsy, a mark, a victim. Someone to use to get what I want.”

  Soren looked at the broken man. “I take it you’d like to be excused as her defense lawyer?”

  “I believe that I may no longer be the best defense advocate for her,” Gerald said sadly.

  “I think we’ve heard enough,” Gabriel said, standing up. He and the others filed out.

  Beverly smiled. “I’ve got a good feeling about this. Where should we dine after?” she asked Gerald. “Now that you’re a free man, you can unearth your vault. I need a few things.”

  Mia leaned against Ed. He put a protective arm around her.

  Gerald didn’t speak.

  “I’m sorry,” Mia sent into his mind. “I never wanted her to hurt you this way.”

  He didn’t answer.

  The door opened and the four walked out.

  “Beverly Cooper, stand before us,” Soren ordered.

  Bev walked up, swinging her arms and smiling.

  Ameen stood up. “We didn’t need any time to decide your guilt. You’re guilty and apparently proud of your crimes. You’ve hurt two people who tried, again and again, to make something positive out of your life. Do you deserve death? No. You didn’t succeed in directly killing anyone. But what do we do with you?”

  “Let me go, and we’ll just call this an incident best forgotten,” Bev said, winking.

  “I’m sorry, but that’s never going to happen,” Ameen said. “I will personally strip you of your magical powers. Themis will strip you of your memories. Gabriel will take you to a time and place where you can’t do any harm by poisoning other’s thoughts with that viper tongue of yours. You’re an embarrassment to all womanhood. I acknowledge you were raised by a horrific woman who long conned us into believing she was someone else, but she, at least, had the decency not to parade around like she did the world a favor. What do you have to say for yourself?”

  “Gerald is Midas rich. Just think of what you could do with the money. Feed the poor. Let’s just forget this and get on with our lives, shall we?”

  Gabriel slammed his hand down on the bench. The sound reverberated off the walls. “You dare try to bribe your judges who are trying to show you mercy?”

  “Don’t act like you didn’t consider the bribe, Gabriel. I could make Mia disappear. You would have Michael’s full attention back and be able to toss Altair out of Heaven again. Soren, you could have Mia in your bed. We know you crave sons like she is capable of having. When you’re tired, give her to Victor.”

  Mia groaned.

  Bev spun around and pointed. “Don’t tell me you’ve not taken advantage of that Superhuman behind you when Ted’s not looking,” Beverly accused.

  “I have not. I think you should apologize to Soren, Gabriel, Ameen, and Themis. They are showing you mercy,” Mia advised.

  “How dare you talk to me? Who do you think you are?”

  “At one time, I thought I was your niece. I have watched over your daughter, Sabine, and your granddaughters. I’ve tried to understand your obsession with a man who was most comfortable when he was sleeping with many women, instead of loving this wonderful man before you. He worshipped the ground you walked on. I know what it’s like to have a demon inside me, calling the shots. What it’s like to crave the wrong kind of attention. I’m a sinner. But I was given a chance. A pair of orange eyes woke me, my father brought me back from the dead, and although it took years, I found that I was loved by friends and then a husband, who I thank God every day for. This is who I think I am. I’m a wife, a mother, a friend, a healer, and a warrior. The reason I dare talk to you is because I can’t stand by and see you dig yourself into a deeper hole.”

  “Go away. I am not amused,” Bev said.

  Mia turned to go.

  “Wait, Mia,” Gerald said, catching her arm. “I don’t know what they have planned for me, so I want to make sure that you know that you’re a marvel and not a freak. I treasure the memories of shiny floors and favors exchanged.”

  “Thank you. Ed and I have a party to go to,” Mia said. She put her hand on her heart and walked to where Ed had a portal opening. She turned around and looked at Gerald and then at the council. Soren’s eyes didn’t quite meet hers. Gabriel’s bore into her. Ameen was neutral. Themis nodded.

  Ed took her hand, and they walked through the portal. They entered the timeline just as Ted was speaking. “A little Sleeping Beauty theatrics, nothing more. Father Santos, can you lead us all in prayer?”

  Mia hugged Ted and thanked Ed before she settled down to listen to Father Santos’s prayer.

  “Friends and family of Genevieve Tommy Martin and Maeve Andie Martin, please bow your heads,” he instructed.

  “Dear Lord, we are here to celebrate the joining of these children with you. May you watch over them as they explore this wonderful world of your creation. Guide their parents and godparents as the girls encounter bumps on the road to an everlasting life. In Jesus name we pray.”

  “Amen,” the believers answered.

  Mia and Ted returned to their table, and Ed walked through another portal to his home to be with his wife and his two sons.

  Chapter Forty-two

  Mia was strolling with the twins on the driveway when Andy drove up. He waved, stopping his truck, and launched out of the cab and ran over to Mia.

  “I have the box and the casket. My radio kept changing channels on the way over, so I think maybe I brought a hitchhiker.”

  Mia looked over at the truck and saw he had brought four ghosts. One, fortunately, was Murphy, who had a firm hand on Marty’s arm.

  Ted walked out of the office to see what the commotion was.

  “Andy has brought us presents and visitors,” Mia said, trying to maintain a smile.

  “I’ve got the girls,” Ted said. He pulled the stroller into the yard.

  Mia walked over to the Big Bear Lake Cemetery maintenance truck.

  “Hello,” she said to the woman who was dangling her legs over the tailgate. “I’m Mia Martin.”

  “Elenore Arnot.”

  “I take it your bones are in the casket?”

  “Yes.”

  “You were taken from your rest. Do you wish to be returned to New Orleans or seek out the light here?”

  Elenore was confused.

  “There is a beautiful little graveyard near here. I can’t vouch for the inhabitants, but the light seems to arrive whenever we lay old bones to rest.”
r />   “Why would you do this for me?”

  “Because it’s right. Where is your friend with the singsong voice?”

  “In the river. She’s happy there.”

  Mia nodded, not really knowing what to say.

  “Would you have a priest say words over me?” Elenore asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I’d like then to be buried in your little graveyard. My relatives didn’t care enough to pay for the wall vault. I doubt they said words over me.”

  “Until I arrange for the priest, my home is your home.”

  Elenore nodded and walked with as much grace as she still possessed to the front porch and sat down in a rocking chair.

  Mia turned back to the rascals in the truck.

  Andy brought out the box. “It’s a bit dented, but I think I can open it once it’s unlocked. Mia dug into her pocket and brought out the key. She looked at Marty and Cecil. “Inside, I understand, are each of your jawbones.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Cecil said.

  Marty just shook in fear.

  “I have a problem. I wonder if I could consult with you two,” Mia said.

  “I’m all ears,” Cecil said.

  Marty tried twice to make eye contact and failed.

  “After I determine what spell Gloria used to bind you, I intend on setting you free, but I worry that you’ll just go back to searching for gold, pushing young women off their bikes, and other such nonsense.”

  “That was him,” Cecil said, taking a step away from Marty.

  “But you’re not innocent of the lusting for gold.”

  “I’m not. I think of gold and it makes my belly fluttery,” Cecil admitted.

  Ted suppressed a laugh.

  “Don’t you want to move on? Maybe roll the dice and see if you can get to Heaven, see if those gates are made up of gold instead of just pearls?” Mia tempted.

  “Mia, there is a lot of gold in Hell,” Murphy mentioned.

  “Alas, I fear that these guys would not be in for a share there. But then again…”